KOTA KINABALU: Global Upline Sdn Bhd has agreed to carry out a more environmental friendly approach to the upgrading works on the Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) runway and taxiway project.
Its advisor, Tan Sri Ting Pek Khiing, when disclosing this yesterday, said the new method had been approved by the state Environment Protection Department.
“What we are doing is to build a temporary staging before putting on the piling, which will be removed upon completion. This will not affect the shoreline and no land reclamation is involved,” he said.
Speaking to reporters during a simple launching ceremony on the Tanjung Aru flyover yesterday, Ting added they do not want to dredge sand over the extension and put the piling as it would cause the waterline to erode.
“It will cause heavy losses, especially when homes of the villagers are already on the verge of collapsing. The method was introduced to us by the EPD,” he said, adding the extension project involved the installation of 16 approach lights for airplanes to be completed nine months from now.
He said works had yet to start, pending approval from the Ministry of Transport on the new allocation.
“This new method would incur extra expenses, so we need more funds before we can start the project,” he said.
The whole project, including the upgrading of runway and taxiway, and also Terminal 2 Tanjung Aru Airport, began in April 2007.
“For Terminal 2, the government gave us three years to complete but we managed to do it in within six months.
“This project is part of Package Two which includes the new control tower, runway extension and Terminal 2,” he said, adding that the KKIA project was expected to be completed in March, 2012.
Ting said upgrading of the runway and taxiway was in progress.
“Although work is on-going, it does not disrupt flights. The delay is mostly to the limited window (a period of time when flights rest). We need at least six hours to work, but were only given four hours. We are only able to work two hours a day and the remaining is to close job … not much can be done within two hours despite having enough equipment,” he explained.
Ting said he understood the government’s needs to see the completion of the project fast, especially with Sabah promoting itself as the best tourist destination.
“I assure the resurfacing of the whole runway will be completed by end of this year, and the balance of work in March, 2012,” he said.