KUALA LUMPUR — The cabinet has approved a RM442.30 million upgrade to the Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA), to be carried out by Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB), the Transport Ministry said.
Bernama reported minister Anthony Loke saying that the project will be fully financed through a private financing initiative by MAHB, without involving any government guarantees.
The upgrade will take 48 months to complete, with completion expected in 2027. The pre-construction phase is to begin this year.
“This project is fully funded by MAHB’s private financing initiative without involving government guarantees,” Bernama reported Loke saying in a press conference at the Parliament building today.
KKIA is the second busiest airport in Malaysia after Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA). KKIA’s passenger volume is expected to increase to 12.4 million passengers per year by 2034.
As of October this year, it recorded 6.6 million passengers, an increase of 13.4% compared to the same period in 2023, Loke said.
MAHB in February announced its action plan for the upgrading and redevelopment of KKIA.
Upgrades will include modernising key passenger touchpoints at KKIA, such as seating arrangements, trolley and buggy services, elevating air quality and temperature standards, and improvements to communication systems.
Loke today added that upgrades will also include new facilities such as the construction of an elevated area and the addition of seven aircraft parking spaces or aprons.
Supporting infrastructure such as improvement of roads around the airport, use of green technology, and integration of automation and advanced technology to increase operational efficiency, will also be implemented.
Last month, Loke was reported saying that the first phase of the upgrading project would be to increase KKIA’s annual passenger capacity from the current nine million to 12 million.
The upgrade will enhance the state’s tourism industry, a key driver of Sabah’s economy. – November 13, 2024