DAP Sarawak to liaise with federal Transport Ministry on KIA upgrade
KUCHING: Democratic Action Party (DAP) Sarawak chairman Chong Chieng Jen says he will liaise with the federal Transport Minister Anthony Loke on the upgrades of Kuching International Airport (KIA), following a request made by Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.
Chong backed the state’s request for KIA’s facility upgrade, saying that it should be at par, if not better, with all other international airports in the country.
“Airports are the faces of any tourist destination and the first impression given to any tourist arriving at a destination; hence I fully agree with Dato Sri Abdul Karim about KIA needing a major upgrade.
“As Sarawak shall be hosting many major and international events in the next few months, it is of utmost urgency that the facilities at the airport be upgraded so as to give a good first impression to the tourists and visitors coming to Sarawak.
“Besides, given the rapid growth in tourist arrivals, it is also timely that the airport needs to be extended to cater for the expected increase in our tourist arrivals,” said Chong in a statement issued yesterday.
He said the airport’s last major extension and upgrading works were commissioned in 2003; since then, the tourist arrival had increased manifold.
For that, he deemed it justifiable for a second major extension and upgrading of KIA to be carried out.
“In addition to the upgrading of the existing facilities, I will call upon the federal Minister of Transport (Loke) for the allocation of capital expenditure for the airport’s extension.
“We hope the ministry would prioritise the upgrading works and extension project of Kuching International Airport,” said Chong.