By Shikin Louis
KUCHING, Aug 28: The federal government has approved RM30 million to upgrade the Long Banga and Ba’ Kelalan short take-off and landing (STOL)ports in Sarawak, with work targeted to begin this year and longer runways potentially allowing more passengers to fly into the State’s remote interior areas.
Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Hasbi Habibollah said RM15 million has been allocated for each STOLport under the Airport Development Fund, covering terminal upgrades and runway extensions where site conditions allow.
“We have approved RM30 million for Ba’ Kelalan and Long Banga.
“RM15 million for Long Banga STOLport and RM15 million for Ba’ Kelalan STOLport to upgrade the terminals, and where we can extend the runway, we will extend it,” he told reporters after the National MADANI Taxi Renewal Programme held at UNIFOR Complex here today.
Hasbi said the runway extensions would depend on the physical conditions at the two rural locations, noting that some STOLports are constrained by terrain and waterways, including rivers at the ends of runways.
He said the upgrades were aimed at giving Sarawak’s rural airports a much-needed facelift while improving their capacity to serve remote communities.
“We don’t want people to say we only talk about upgrading big airports. Our rural airports are still airports,” he said.
Hasbi said longer runways could also enable more passengers to be carried, pointing out that Twin Otter flights are currently limited to nine passengers because of runway constraints.
He said the RM30 million allocation had only recently been approved, with design and other preparatory work still required.
“We have just approved the allocation. Insya-Allah, if possible, we want to start something this year. There is still design work and so on to be done,” he said.
Hasbi said he had recently visited Long Banga, Ba’ Kelalan and Marudi airports together with Sarawak Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Dr Jerip Susil and officials from both the Ministry of Transport Sarawak Federal Ministry of Transport.
The visit, he said, reflected the federal government’s focus on improving aviation infrastructure in rural areas alongside upgrades to major airports.
Meanwhile, Hasbi said the Miri Airport upgrade was currently at the design stage and was expected to cost more than RM400 million.
He said airport upgrading projects were also underway or being planned in Sabah, including Tawau, Lahad Datu and Kota Kinabalu.
“I don’t have the exact figure, but it is hundreds of millions. Tawau is more than RM100 million, Lahad Datu as well, and Kota Kinabalu is quite big, at more than RM400 million,” he said.
Asked whether the combined allocations for airport upgrades in Sabah and Sarawak could exceed RM1 billion, Hasbi said it was possible when the various projects were taken into account.
He clarified, however, that the RM30 million announced for Long Banga and Ba’ Kelalan was specifically for STOLport upgrades.
On Lawas Airport, Hasbi said the proposed new airport was under the Sarawak government through the Northern Region Development Agency (NRDA), with site-opening works currently underway in the Sundar area.
As for the Belaga STOLport, he said he had yet to receive information on when its proposed landing test would be conducted as the facility was under the Sarawak government.
On the proposed new Kuching International Airport, Hasbi said the project was under the Sarawak government and he would not comment on its development, although approvals relating to aviation matters would still involve the Federal Ministry of Transport. — DayakDaily
