THE FOURTH AIRPORT
By Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad on January 12, 2009 4:59 PM
1. Now we know that the proposal to build a new airport at Labu is not a rumour. It is for real. Seems it is going to be a Private Financial Initiative - i.e. Government is not going to put up the money.
2. The site is 10 kilometers from KLIA. I had some experience of landing a small jet plane, so I can speak with a little knowledge. The approach speed of a big jet is between 300 to 400 kph. or it would cover the 10km in slightly less than 2 minutes.
3. The statement says that initially there would be no runway. That means the aircraft would land at KLIA.
4. Will the plane taxi 10km to Labu to disembark the passengers, pick up new passenger and then taxi 10km to the runway in KLIA to take off?
5. To do this it would need a special highway separated from other roads and highway. It would be interesting for the locals and tourists to see the huge planes taxiing 10km across the countryside.
6. Later a new runway would be built at Labu - must be at least 2km long - bringing it even nearer to KLIA. Wonder in which direction the plane will take off. What if a plane is landing or taking off from Sepang KLIA at the same time as as Labu. Only two minutes would separate the planes--not much time to take evasive action. I suppose planes taking off or landing simultaneously at KLIA and Labu must have great pilots and powerful engines to avoid accidents.
7. Remember that each airport would have its own control tower. Do they coordinate? I wonder.
8. May be it would be possible to bus the passengers from KLIA to Labu vis a vis if no runway is to be built in Labu. The Labu terminal would have to clear the incoming and outgoing passengers. So the KL passengers would to able to sightsee as the buses take them to Labu and then to KLIA. Coming back they would take the bus to Labu from KLIA and then to KL.
9. Since this is going to be a private financing initiative, the custom, immigration and other officers will all be paid by the operator of the new airport. No Government money involved. This would be the epitome of privatisation.
10. The land for the airport belongs to Sime Darby. So airport development and operation will be included in its portfolio.
11. Incidentally Sime Darby has also taken over the land at Telaga Harbour in Langkawi. LADA had to tell several potential developers to forget it. You do not mess around with Sime Darby. It is as good as Government.
12. Since I am the adviser to the Langkawi Development naturally my advice was not required.
13. Till today nothing has been done by Sime Darby to develop Telaga Harbour. There is a proposal to construct a floating platform for a museum in the harbor.
14. The turning basin for the mega yacht is already small. The floating platform would reduce the size of the harbor with the consequences that I need not mention.
15. I felt like shouting "Long Live Sime Darby!". It will become the biggest and most diversified of Malaysian corporations. We can all be very proud of it.
Tiada ulasan:
Catat Ulasan