Malacca Airport RM120M investment for upgrade

[Seth K 3]

MELAKA, April 1 (Bernama) -- Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak Saturday performed the ground-breaking ceremony for upgrading of the Batu Berendam airport, setting into motion Melaka's rise as a tourism hub and a southern gateway to the country.

 

The project, the first launched officially after the Ninth Malaysia Plan was announced yesterday, would make the airport a centre for flights from destinations such as Jakarta and other Indonesian cities as well as China, he said.

 

The upgrading will see the airport's runway lengthened from 1,372 metres to 2,045 metres and widened from 37 metres to 45 metres, enabling it to take Boeing 737 and Airbus 320 aircraft compared to Fokker 50 currently.

 

A 7,000-sq metre new terminal building will provide various facilities to accommodate international and domestic flights, and the building will be designed such that modular expansion is possible in the future.

 

The upgraded airport will also have a new air traffic control tower with modern traffic control equipment, a parking apron able to take three Boeing 737 and Airbus 320 at any one time, a special parking apron for general aviation aircraft and approach lights on both ends of the runway to facilitate landing at night and in poor weather.

 

Najib said Malaysia's AirAsia as well as other low-cost carriers in Asean could make use the airport.

 

Last year, he said, the airport handled 28,595 passengers, with almost 95 per cent of them being international passengers mainly from the Indonesian archipelago.

 

"This goes to show that the upgrading of the airport is timely in attracting more international passengers to Malaysia through Melaka," he said.

 

Najib said he hoped that the Uni-Integrated consortium undertaking the project would be able to shorten the construction period from the scheduled 2-1/2 years.

 

"Even the low-cost carrier terminal opened by the prime minister recently (at the KL International Airport) only took nine months to build," he added.

 

Earlier, Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy said the airport would have the capacity to serve long-distance cargo and passenger aircraft and thus make Melaka a choice location for manufacturing industries and entice foreign companies to establish their branch operations in the state.

 

Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Ali Rustam said he was confident the airport would have the capacity to help the state generate economic development, particularly in the tourism sector.

 

---------------------------------------

 

Sure sound very nice, can AK make flights to Melaka from other cities in Malaysia perhaps plus China and Indonesia. Well, great news and hope there will be at least one jetway. Btw, all this cost RM120m

[Azuddin 1]

the airport is like 5 minutes driving from my apartment. maybe i can took off during weekend and went to indonesia . then when my lecturer ask me how's your weekend, i say indonesia is great.

 

Azuddin

[Sanjay Thaker 0]

what are u studying in malacca azuddin?

[Azuddin 1]

what are u studying in malacca azuddin?

 

 

MMU malacca, last semester for first year.

 

Azuddin

[Sandeep G 1]

I think transforming it into a regional hub is a little strange and sort of negates the plans for KLIA...

 

perhaps transforming it into an airport for larger GA ops and prop flights such as those presently existing at the airport by Riau airlines and Merpati should remain... 737s and A320s at Melaka? seems a bit far-fetched.. but let's see what the governement can make-do..

 

Melaka isn't THAT far from KLIA... not with the highways and all...

 

maybe the RM120 million would be better spent on upgrading the roads from Melaka along the coast through PD to KLIA..

[H Azmal 0]

Possible white elephant? Or is this another project whose level of sensibility is comparable to Rustam Ali's proposal for LRT in Melaka to cater for tourists?

 

Sidenote: THe English spelling 'Malacca' is no longer accepted as the right spelling for the city/state. It's now 'Melaka', English or Malay.

Edited April 2, 2006 by H Azmal

[Raj 0]

Oh wonder how it would like..Will definantely see Ak flying there..Maybe SIN-Melacca...

[Bing Chu 0]

Another big ticket project that defies logic !! You have KLIA within easy reach via N-S highway, two enormously costly completed undertakings. Stretching it a bit, JHB is also within reasonable reach. Why still try and create a 'regional hub' at Melaka ?! Furthermore, if Melaka is to be the "southern gateway to the country" what will happen to JHB ?

 

OK, a bit far fetched idea here. Could this be the initial step towards making Melaka the LCC centre ? Remember, KLIA's current LCCT has been described as only a temporary measure. Come the time when traffic volume justifies, shift everything from KLIA and JHB and concentrate at Melaka. Logic : If you want to fly cheaper, go the extra mile !!

[Attan 0]

My stupid brain still cannot reason out why we need another international airport in Melaka and another bridge to replace the causeway. Please help.

[Bing Chu 0]

Attan - there is absolutely no need to demean your cerebral capacity ! You just need to think the 'Malaysia Boleh' way and all pieces of the jigsaw will fall neatly in place ! Enlightening it is (not !)

[H Azmal 0]

Things like this always makes our brain go "Does not compute! Beep! Beep!"

Edited April 2, 2006 by H Azmal

[Sing Yew 1]

My stupid brain still cannot reason out why we need another international airport in Melaka and another bridge to replace the causeway. Please help.

 

 

Attan - there is absolutely no need to demean your cerebral capacity ! You just need to think the 'Malaysia Boleh' way and all pieces of the jigsaw will fall neatly in place ! Enlightening it is (not !)

 

 

Things like this always makes our brain go "Does not compute! Beep! Beep!"

 

I somehow have to agree with the 3 of you.

 

 

[Radzi 2]

My stupid brain still cannot reason out why we need another international airport in Melaka and another bridge to replace the causeway. Please help.

 

It is called "Project". Like, all politicians will have a company (or maybe more) that will be given a project to do something. That something can be very useful or completely useless but mostly somewhere in between.

 

With their salaries, do you think any MPs can afford an E-class Mercedes at Malaysian price?

 

[LeeCH 0]

Perhaps Malacca can be well suited as a aviation training centre in this region. And that includes basic jet training. At one point in time, Singapore Flying College was looking into possibilities of using Batu Berendam for training operations with the Learjet 45 program. I would think that lack of MRO support in the area was the main reason they stayed back in Maroochydore, Quensland even though the cost there are substantially higher.

 

But then again, what good use is Subang then? Subang also can be an aviation hub since so many MRO are setting up there.

 

Radzi, I was thinking along the same line as you. Somehow or somewhere, projects has to be created.

[Seth K 3]

Hope this airport will not look like the current KLIA.........copycat!

Good news indeed.

[Sandeep G 1]

it's all about the money..

it's all about the dum dum doobie-dum dum

 

Seriosuly, a waste of energy, resources, time and MONEY!

 

Poetic ammo's song is most suitable here also: It's all about da Monay!

[Pieter C. 5]

MELAKA, April 1 (Bernama)

 

Has the date something to do with this ?

[Bing Chu 0]

Has the date something to do with this ?

Doubt it very much Pieter. These things happen for real here in Malaysia you realize !

[Sim Lim Shen 0]

Doubt it very much Pieter. These things happen for real here in Malaysia you realize !

As a Melaka boy, this is good news. If they can start flying Melaka - Saigon, that would even be better. Just wishful thinking. Logically, what is the logic behind all this? KLIA is only 90 minutes away from Melaka.......

[Fairul 0]

wow..didnt know the goverment going to start this project so soon..

by the way, the company i work with finished doing the batu berendam's runway analysis last month..

[Azuddin 1]

if malacca start to take arrival from Indonesia, or China, i would go spotting there like everyday maybe with Sim Lim Shen, Simon and other Malaccan MWinger. I could park the car at the hill at the MFA enterance which has a great view of aircraft rotating.

 

Azuddin

[Attan 0]

There are many small airlines from Indonesia that fly scheduled routes to WMKM even now. I flew Riau Airlines Melaka-Batam-Melaka about 2 years ago on an F50.

 

Most of the flights to Melaka are from Pekanbaru, Palembang and Dumai. You will find several ambulances waiting at WMKM for the arrivals from these cities. Apparently the medical centres in Melaka are very popular with the Indonesians who come for surgeries and other treatment.

[Moana Ishak 0]

if malacca start to take arrival from Indonesia, or China, i would go spotting there like everyday maybe with Sim Lim Shen, Simon and other Malaccan MWinger. I could park the car at the hill at the MFA enterance which has a great view of aircraft rotating.

 

Azuddin

 

 

hey.....i can show u guys....where to get a very clear view of the whole aiport layout(whole malacca actually!). from a hill (east of airfield)... Me and my friends...(i mean during i was in MFA). we always go there...for the lovely sunsets....and just to watch aircraft land..during sunset...beautiful view. and its nice too...when the Air Force...come in. with their tactical approach technique!

 

once the...airport are fully upgraded....wow.... im going down to malacca again...to take photographs! neesern...if you baca this message...try to go up there..before you graduate..nice view nice moment!

Edited April 3, 2006 by Moana Ishak

[KK Lee 5]

 

Malacca is only an hour drive from KLIA, it doesn’t make economical sense to upgrade to a regional hub. Guess it is just another project for someone who is connected.

 

 

[Seth K 3]

Malacca is only an hour drive from KLIA, it doesn’t make economical sense to upgrade to a regional hub. Guess it is just another project for someone who is connected.

 

Not an hour, but close enough

There are Indonesian workers in south states that use air service to visit home and biz between Malacca and Indonesia increase the cummunication services. The gov. may think that AK could start Malacca to international routes with low price for the labors to go home and tourism. Just like in Houston area where there are two airport-George Bush intercontinental(IAH) which serve domestic and international purpose and Houston Lobby which serve Regional routes and they are less than half an hour apart! SFO and LAX are close too, LGA-EWR-JFK is situated side by side. I say go on with the project

 

z