MAHB welcomes Vincent Tan's proposal to extend Tioman airport runway

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) said it welcomes Berjaya Group executive chairman Tan Sri Vincent Tan's proposal to extend the airport runway on Tioman Island.
MAHB managing director Datuk Badlisham Ghazali said today a similar proposal was raised during the previous government's administration but it was not possible as there was no suitable site.
"There is no suitable location unless we work on land reclamation ... as far as we know this was not done because of its significant impact on the environment and from the Environmental Impact Assessment report it would not be approved.
"However, I welcome the proposal. An entrepreneur may be more innovative (building the landing strip) in getting bigger aircraft to land in Tioman," Badlisham said when met by reporters after a meeting with the Council of Eminent Persons here.
Tan reportedly said the group was submitting an application to the government to construct a bigger runway on the island resort estimated to cost between RM1.1 billion and RM1.2 billion. which would be financed by the company.
A proposal for the runway construction on Tioman Island was raised in 2003 but the plan was cancelled in 2009 for fear that the project would have adverse impact on the environment. – Bernama