Controversy in Northern Malaysia over an airport shows political rift

KUCHING – The Chief Minister of Kedah State in Malaysia bears a famous patronym: Mukhriz Mahathir. Son of ex-Prime Minister of Malaysia Mahathir Mohammad, he certainly looks to emulate his illustrious father in the State of Kedah – incidentally the place of birth of Malaysia’s former strongman. 
 

Like his dad who turned the Island of Langkawi into a tourist destination in the late eighties, Kedah Chief Minister dreams to turn himself into the driving force of economic development in his State and Northern Malaysia. His latest project is to build a brand new international airport in Kulim equipped with two runways on 600 hectares of land. It would then became the main gateway not only for Kedah but also for the neighbouring State of Penang – located 40 km away and have a catchment area stretching up to Southern Thailand, indicated earlier in the month the Premier. 
 

“This is just ‘rubbish’. Who would like to fly in the middle of nowhere in Kedah to then further go to Penang”, asks a Malaysian travel journalist, who knows very well the area. His statement is certainly shared by the Penang government. Officially Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng does not reject the idea of constructing a new airport in Kedah– although it would then be the fourth one in the region next to Penang, Langkawi and Alor Setar. But he also immediately asks why there is no commitment to expand first Penang international airport in Bayar Lepas before to process with any new airport. Penang International Airport is Malaysia third busiest airport welcoming close to 5.5 million passengers in 2013, up by 15% over 2012.  
 

The claim by Mukhriz Mahathir that Penang airport has no space to expand is regarded with skepticism by Penang government, reported on Monday Malaysian newspaper the Star. Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng opposed the idea, talking about possibility to reclaim up to 500 acres of land for an expansion south of the airport. Speaking with local media, Penang Chief Minister questioned the wisdom of such a proposal. “Penang is the largest recipient of Foreign Direct Investments in the country from 2010 to 2013 and Kedah does not even come close,” Lim said, then suggesting that Penang should consequently have three airports like Kedah. 
 

They are however some explanation behind Kehad push to fund an airport which would probably cost around US$ 700 million. Penang is one of the Malaysian States being run by the opposition while Kedah belongs to the current coalition in power. The plea of Mukhriz Mahathir to get the new airport would in fact revive a former proposal from Mohammad Mahathir to built such a facility in Kedah. 
 

The idea dates back to 1997. At the time, Mahathir had even suggested that once the future Northern Malaysia Central Airport would have been built, Penang Airport could then eventually close its doors. The 1997 economic crisis in Asia put however a spell on the ambitious project by then. Ambitions are hard to die.