By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, May 10: Minister of Transport Sarawak (MOTS) Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin spearheaded a pivotal meeting with key stakeholders from the aviation and transport sectors to tackle pressing issues at the Kuching International Airport and other regional facilities.
According to a MOTS press release, the issues include insufficient storage space with no cold rooms, narrow road access, insufficient lorry parking, and security concerns.
The meeting included members from the Sarawak Forwarding Agencies Association, Sarawak Lorries Transport Association, Federation of Sarawak Lorries Association, cargo airlines including Maskargo, MJets, and Raya Airways, ground handler Pos Aviation, the Royal Customs Department of Malaysia, Malaysia Airports Sdn Bhd (MASB), and MOTS officers led by deputy permanent secretary Selamat Jati Yanjah, Aviation Technical advisor Sio Yew Hua, and Aviation Division head Zulkarnain Rosli.
“The meeting illuminated ongoing and future initiatives aimed at resolving these challenges.
“Notably, Maskargo, a division of Malaysia Aviation Group, has confirmed that it will expand its facilities to a total of 71,000 square feet with construction beginning this August.
“Additionally, Pos Aviation was allocated extra space at the former MASB Engineering Depot to alleviate space constraints. Meanwhile, Raya Airways reported that their current storage space meets their needs,” read the press release.
It went on to say that in order to enhance operational efficiency, the minister urged Malaysia Airports Sdn Bhd to prioritise widening the road access to the cargo terminal, which is also crucial for emergency access to the CAAM Air Traffic Control Centre and Tower.
“Improvement to the designated lorry parking area needs to be expedited to avoid illegal roadside parking that causes congestion along the access road.
“The minister also highlighted the necessity of upgrading the main terminal at the Kuching International Airport, reminding MASB of the airport’s role as a gateway into Sarawak.
“Meanwhile, Malaysia Airports has identified all the toilets at the Kuching Airport that require improvement and upgrading. A tender will be called in June 2024 to completely renovate all toilets at the Kuching International Airport, to be done by the last quarter of 2025.”
Furthermore, MOTS stated that further discussions included Bintulu’s request for an extension of the cargo warehouse at Bintulu Airport, as well as a modification to the roof truss to prevent birds from perching and contaminating the facility.
It explained that the enhancements are part of a larger effort to improve the infrastructure and services at Sarawak’s airports, ensuring that they meet current and future demands. — DayakDaily
