PERMATANG PAUH: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will raise the issue on the funding for the Penang International Airport (PIA) expansion project with the Cabinet members next week to see whether it can be expedited.
Anwar said he was dissatisfied with the progress of the PIA expansion after being briefed by Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow that the project would only kick off year end.
"The PIA is congested, which is why the government decided to expand it.
"I asked Chow on the progress and he told me it will begin year end. I am dissatisfied.
"I will raise this in the Cabinet meeting next Wednesday to see if we can expedite the funding," he said in his speech at the Penang Strengthening Connectivity and Entrepreneur Development conference
carnival at Politeknik Seberang Prai here this afternoon.
Present were Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow and Communication Minister Fahmi Fadzil.
Anwar said, after all, the project would take two to three years to complete.
"We have the capability," he added.
It was reported in March last year that the PIA expansion project would begin by the end of last year.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke said he had directed the Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) to expedite the expansion project and that tender would be called within two months time.
He said the expansion would see the capacity of the PIA, the third busiest airport in the country, increased to 12 million passengers per annum from the current 6.5 million passengers per annum and that the floor space would also increase by 100 per cent.
In a written parliamentary reply last October, Loke said the government had granted a RM93 million approval to facilitate land acquisition and infrastructure development for the expansion of the PIA.
The allocation falls under the framework of Rolling Plan 3 (RP3) of the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP).
Apart from the PIA expansion project, Anwar also said the federal government agreed for Penang to have the light rail transit (LRT) due to Penang being a leading tourism destination.
Meanwhile, in his speech, Anwar also instructed all heads of government departments to submit monthly reports to him for all government projects and programmes.
He said he would closely keep tabs on all the projects and programmes launched.
"We don't want to announce one project or programme and that is it.
"I want to follow through and ensure effective execution which will benefit the people," he said.
He said for example was the setting up of the Digital Economy Centre (PEDi).
"There are plans to set up another 186 PEDi this year. I want to see if the plan becomes a reality. I want Fahmi to report to me on the progress.
"Digital transformation is an important agenda in the Madani government's economy," he said.