KUALA LUMPUR – The government has decided against proceeding with the construction of the proposed Tioman International Airport, which largely consisted of land reclaimed from the sea.
Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said the cancellation of the project is in line with the ministry’s mission of preserving, restoring, and sustaining the natural resources and environment on Tioman Island in a responsible manner.
“The decision also invariably reflects the government’s efforts in balancing out development and sustainability to ensure the well-being of the country,” he said.
Nik Nazmi said the ministry had taken into account concerns raised over the protected area, which has coral reefs that are vital to marine ecology in the area and are a main attraction of the resort island.
He said Pulau Tioman, which carries the Marine Park status, also has virgin rainforests with a variety of wildlife and partially designated areas as wildlife reserves.
“Although the intention to build a new airport is to attract more tourists, the construction will destroy the natural attractions of Tioman Island, which would lead to unsustainable tourism,” he said.
Nik Nazmi added that the ministry and the Environment Department had displayed the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the project between June 21 and July 20 this year.
He said that until August 4, the ministry had received 1,412 feedbacks from the public.
He added that at the EIA technical committee meeting held on August 9, he also found that the airport could potentially have a negative impact on the quality of the environment and the marine ecology there.
In June, it was reported that the EIA for the project had been submitted. The report found that 76% of the 186.36ha site would be reclaimed from the sea.
The development phase of the project would also take place within the span of seven years, between 2024 and 2030, and would affect marine park boundaries.
The proposed airport also involved a runway of 2.5km in length and 45m in width and could cater to flights from Asean countries, India, China, as well as Australia. – August 9, 2023