MIRI: The federal government plans to improve the Miri Airport and its facilities to meet the demand of tourists and congestion during peak season.
Senator Alan Ling Sie Kiong, who was represented by Lawrence Low at the launching of Miri’s Street Mural yesterday, said the Ministry of Transport (MOT) has tendered a proposed fund allocation under the second and third rolling plan of 11th Malaysia Plan through which Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) will be upgrading Miri Airport.
“The capacity designed for Miri Airport is to cater for two million passengers per year and, in 2018, Miri Airport recorded 2.34 million passengers. This has resulted in congestion in the airport especially during peak hours or holiday seasons.
“Therefore, as an interim measure, MOT through MAHB is in the process of implementing an optimisation plan to upgrade the terminal building including increasing check-in counters, new in-line hold baggage system (ILHBS); refurnish and upgrading of boarding area; upgrading and expanding the terminal building for rural air service, among others,” Ling said.
Under the plan MAHB intends to increase the current capacity of handling two million passengers per year to three million passengers per year which is expected to meet the demand by year 2027.
“To commence the above ‘optimisation plan’, MAHB has appointed a consultant to commence the survey work in November 2018, and the upgrading works to be undertaken by MAHB is expected to commence this year, while the completion of the upgrading will take 18 months.
“It is hoped that the plan coupled with the ‘Visit Malaysia 2020’ campaign launched recently by Prime Minister Tun Mahathir Mohamad will allow the country to reach the targeted 30 million international tourist arrivals next year,” he added.
Meanwhile, Ling lauded the effort behind the street mural embarked by Leong Jeen Hern, Amy Shim and other volunteers whom, he said, worked hard to realise the mural paintings and create sustainable tourism impact beneficial to Miri.
The street mural was launched by Piasau assemblyman Datuk Sebastian Ting and was witnessed by Pujut assemblyman Dr Ting Tiong Choon, sponsors, parents and children who contributed to the mural through their paintings.