PUTRAJAYA: Transport Minister Anthony Loke said he hopes the privatisation of Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) can be finalised soon.
He said that he supported the corporate exercise by the Gateway Development Alliance (GDA), the consortium proposing to privatise MAHB and hoped that more could be done faster.
As of Jan 8, GDA and its shareholders (the consortium) have received valid offer acceptances of 1.40 billion shares, representing 84.1 per cent of the total number of issued shares in MAHB.
Loke reiterated his dissatisfaction with previous delays in decision-making by the airport operator.
He pointed to the aerotrain project as a prime example of a delay that drew public criticism, noting that while he, as the Transport Minister, has to answer for these issues, the responsibility for the decision lies entirely with the MAHB board and management.
“We are not happy with the delayed decisions in the past. That’s why we believe this privatisation will help streamline processes, enabling faster implementation and greater accountability,” he said during a press conference on Malaysia’s 2024 passenger and cargo traffic performance and the outlook for 2025.
Loke emphasised that the decision to privatise MAHB was made by Khazanah Nasional Bhd, a major shareholder of the airport operator, in conjunction with its consortium partners.
He said the move would allow the company to respond more swiftly to industry demands and expand its capacity at a quicker pace.
“Even though we’re seeing healthy double-digit growth, we have to keep pace with our regional peers. Our airports and infrastructure need to be ready to attract more airlines and improve overall capacity,” he stressed.
The minister noted that several ongoing projects, including capacity building at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), have yet to be completed.
He called for a greater effort not only to upgrade the infrastructure but also to boost marketing initiatives to bring more airlines into Malaysia.
Earlier, Loke shared that the Malaysian Aviation Commission (MAVCOM) forecasts Malaysia’s air passenger traffic to reach between 105.8 million and 112.9 million passengers this year.
He said this year’s passenger traffic is expected to surpass the previous record of 109.3 million set in 2019, representing an increase of 8.4-15.6 per cent year-on-year (y-o-y), driven by an increase in airline seat capacity, rising demand for international travel, and overall improvements in household income levels.
The airlines are also projected to boost their capacity by 15.8 per cent y-o-y in 2025, driven by an expected 21.1 per cent y-o-y growth in domestic travel.
When asked if he is happy with the growth recorded, he replied : “Yes. But very happy, no”.
