Proposal for new LCCT must be resubmitted

> Transport Minister confirms one reached the Economic Council last year, which appointed Pemandu to study its feasibility

SEPANG: Any proposal for a new lowcost carrier terminal (LCCT) to be developed at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) must be resubmitted to the Transport Ministry, Minister Anthony Loke said yesterday, and confirmed that one was made by Citaglobal Airports Sdn Bhd.

He was responding to a SunBiz report which detailed Citaglobal Airports’ development plan for the new terminal last year, which had the backing of the AirAsia group, the largest user of klia2, a terminal built to replace the previous LCCT.

Documents sighted by SunBiz revealed that the company’s director, Datuk Seri Mohamad Norza Zakaria, had proposed to then prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak, via a letter dated Nov 24, 2017, a new LCCT that would be able to accommodate higher passenger numbers, especially with the establishment of the Digital Free Trade Zone.

“They have to resubmit (any plans) to the new government and, of course, we will study.

“If there is fresh proposal we will study it, the ministry and the Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom),” Loke told reporters after launching the FlySmart interactive platform here.

Loke said the proposal for a new LCCT was submitted to the Economic Council under the previous government.

“The decision by the Economic Council was to appoint Pemandu to study the feasibility of Terminal 3 (new LCCT) but, as of now, there is no decision yet. There was no approval given, it was just a study,” he said.

Citaglobal Airports was incorporated just weeks before the proposal for the new LCCT was presented to Najib in a letter. Citaglobal Airports said it would be able to generate the required funds for the project from the private sector and only required for land to be delineated by the government for the terminal’s development.

In addition to that, it said UK-based Manchester Airports Group Plc indicated interest in managing and operating the new LCCT.

AirAsia Bhd issued a letter of support for the plan via a letter dated Nov 2, 2017 which coincided with Citaglobal Airports’ incorporation date. The letter signed by executive chairman Datuk Kamarudin Meranun said it would support Citaglobal Airports by making the new LCCT the base for AirAsia Bhd and AirAsia X Bhd operations, have all flights operated by AirAsia group operate at the new LCCT and participate to generate non-aeronautical revenue.