Malaysia's Senai Airport to Undergo Expansion

December 25, 2003

Malaysia's Senai Airport to Undergo Expansion
ABC Online, Australia

Malaysia's Senai Airport Terminal Services (SATS) will invest one billion 
ringgit over the next five years to transform its airport near the Singapore 
border into a logistics hub, a report said on Thursday. 

Some 20 to 30 per cent of the funds would be internally generated and the 
balance from financial institutions, SATS director Mohamad Sidik Shaik Osman 
told the Star. 

"We are talking to several banks and hope to finalise a financing package by 
the middle of next year," he said. 

SATS has to date put aside close to 300 million ringgit for the expansion 
project after taking over the operation of the airport located in Johor state 
from Malaysia Airports Holdings in October. 

A top priority of the company is the development a cargo centre at Senai 
capable of handling up to 400,000 tonnes of air cargo annually, at an expected 
cost of 250 million ringgit, it said. 

SATS has already invested 25 million ringgit in an interim cargo building that 
will be operational by March. 

Plans include the expansion of the passenger terminal to handle 15 million 
passengers a year. 

A runway expansion to cater to larger aircraft is also on the cards. 

The billion ringgit program is part of a master plan to link the airport to 
Johor's two seaports, Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP) and Johor Port, the 
North-South expressway and possibly the railway. 

More than 350 industry players, including logistics providers, freight 
forwarders, airlines, shipping and ports personnel were briefed recently by 
SATS on the plans. 

"The big turnout of industry players is a clear indication of their support," 
said Mr Sidik who is also chief executive officer of PTP. 

Business tycoon Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary, who controls Senai Airport, also owns 
the hugely successful PTP, just across the narrow Tebrau Strait from Singapore, 
which has convinced Maersk Sealand - the world's biggest liner - and others to 
migrate to PTP from Singapore. 

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