IPOH: The status of the proposed Seri Iskandar Airport must be clarified by the state government, says Dr Abdul Aziz Bari.

       The Opposition state leader said the matter was not discussed during the previous administration.

       “I have tried to get the information from the state Land and Mines Department but they have not given us any cooperation or information,” he said.

       “Therefore, it is up to the state government to provide us with the current information regarding the status of the airport,” added Abdul Aziz during his debate session at the state assembly sitting here Tuesday (March 29).

       Abdul Aziz (DAP-Tebing Tinggi) added that the state should take this matter seriously if it plans to have Perak out of the four poorest states in the country.

       Earlier, Nga Kor Ming (DAP-Aulong) claimed that several individuals had sold the land proposed to build the airport without the permission of the state government.

       During his debate session, Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir (Umno-Pangkor) hoped that the state government will continue their plan to build the international airport in Seri Iskandar.

       “It is crucial for the state to have a bigger runway that can accommodate bigger aircraft. This is not only for passenger aircraft, but we need an airport that can cater to big flights and cargo that will provide a more efficient, faster connection and seamless travel to destinations,” he said.

       Zambry, who is also the Malaysia Airport Holdings Bhd (MAHB) chairman, hoped that the state would look into the matter thoroughly if the proposed land is yet to be sold or remain vacant.

       “While it is learnt that the proposed land has been sold, the state government can re-plan the idea for the future of our state. In order for Perak to be a growth centre, we need to get better connectivity in terms of our port, and roads,” he said.

       Zambry was the state's mentri besar from 2009 until 2018.

       In 2019, former Perak mentri besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu said that paper work has been done on the much-needed airport in Perak.

       The Sultan Azlan Shah Airport (LTSAS) in Ipoh could not accommodate long-haul flights due to its short runway and can't be extended further due to limited land.