He is ignorant of the basic requirement of an airport

IPOH: The runway of the Sultan Azlan Shah Airport cannot be extended due to the lack of space, said Transport Minister Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat.

The airport, currently under-utilised, was surrounded by mountains and adjacent to densely-populated residential areas, said Ong.

“If we talk about extending the airport runway, do you have the space for the extension? We certainly can’t extend it vertically,” he said.

Speaking to reporters after attending the Ipoh Timur MCA division’s 59th anniversary dinner on Thursday, Ong said the Federal Government was not facing financial constraints nor did it lack commitment in extending the airport runway.
Happy anniversary: Ong (second from left) together with Perak MCA chief Datuk Kong Cho Ha (left), Ipoh Timur MCA division chief Datuk Thong Fah Chong (third from left) and Ipoh Barat MCA division chief Datuk Tan Chin Meng (right) cutting a cake in conjunction with Ipoh Timur MCA division’s 59th anniversary celebration in Ipoh on Thursday.

Earlier this month, Perak executive councillor in charge of transport Nga Kor Ming had reportedly urged the Government to fulfil its promise to improve and expand the airport.

Ong, who is also MCA president, stressed that his ministry had never held the view that Ipoh be bypassed in whatever development plans.

“In fact, Ipoh was chosen as a key destination for our railway transportation,” he said, citing the double-tracking railway project as an example.

“Now we are on the threshhold of bringing new changes to Ipoh and Kinta Valley. Hopefully, by the time the double-tracking project is completed, Perak people can reap more economic returns,” he added.

On Nga’s suggestion that the Government hand over the authority of the airport if it was incapable of developing it, Ong said Nga was playing populist politics.

“The way he spoke and presented the argument shows he is ignorant of the basic requirement of an airport,” he said, adding that any extension of the airport runway needed to be International Civil Aviation Organisa- tion (ICAO)-compliant.

Ong noted that while there were airlines flying into the airport not too long ago, the services were stopped abruptly.

“It’s not that we didn’t try. The airlines stopped and pulled out as there was not enough passenger and cargo load,” he added.