Malaysia not against Seletar Airport development in Singapore — Loke

PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia is not opposing the development of Seletar Airport in Singapore, but cannot allow the instrument landing system (ILS) of the airport operating within southern Johor airspace.

Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook said the ILS would have a great impact on development in Pasir Gudang as there would be height restrictions imposed on structures.

“The aircraft have to fly very low over Pasir Gudang and we can’t even build tall buildings in Pasir Gudang if we allow that flight path.

“In fact, there are currently some tall buildings above the limit in Pasir Gudang. So, technically it is not viable right now for the f light path to be allowed,” he said at a press conference after the ministry’s monthly yesterday.

Loke said Malaysia respected Singapore’s decision to build Seletar Airport, located 2 km away from the Johor border, however, the republic’s authority should work out on the descend and approach of aircraft within its airspace.

Asked on the Singapore authority’s statement that the development of Seletar Airport’s ILS had been brought up since 2014, Loke said the issue had never been discussed with the Malaysian authorities.

“It was just recently that we talked about this issue when the scheduled date of operation, Dec 1, approached,” he said.

In Parliament earlier, Loke said Malaysia would issue a protest note to Singapore over the operation of the ILS to be used by assembly here Seletar Airport near its border with Johor.

The protest note by Wisma Putra would come in the wake of Singapore’s decision to start broadcasting the ILS at Seletar Airport early next year despite Malaysia’s decision not to allow it on grounds that it would infringe the nation’s sovereignty and airspace near Pasir Gudang, Johor.

Loke said Malaysia had also informed Singapore that it would be taking back its delegated airspace in southern Johor in phases between 2019 and 2023, after it was accorded to Singapore since 1974.

He said the issue was discussed with Singapore Transport Minister, Khaw Boon Wan during the Asean Transport Ministers Meeting last month. — Bernama