KKIA@Kimanis

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For the existing airport, see Kota Kinabalu International Airport.

KKIA @Kimanis
Summary
Airport typePublic
ServesGreater Kota Kinabalu (also West Coast and Interior divisions of Sabah)
LocationKampung Mandahan, Kimanis, Papar, Sabah, Malaysia
Time zoneMST (UTC+08:00)

KKIA @Kimanis was a proposed international airport located in Kimanis, Sabah. If constructed, it would have replaced the existing Kota Kinabalu International Airport.

The proposed location is at Kampung Mandahan, Kimanis, Papar, which is around 59km from Kota Kinabalu. The feasibility study will be done by Berjaya Land, with MOU being signed in June 2022 with Sabah state-owned strategic investment arm, Qhazanah Sabah Bhd.[1][2][3]

Several meetings were done including with government authorities such as Jabatan Kerja Raya (JKR),[4] Jabatan Alam Sekitar (JAS),[5] Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM)[6] and many others.[7] In May 2023, Datuk Dr Yusof Yacob, Chairman of Qhazanah Sabah Bhd (QSB) said that the second feasibility study on KKIA's relocation to Kimanis almost complete.[8][9] A year after the MOU was signed which in July 2023, the feasibility study is completed and will be present to the Sabah Economic Planning Unit (EPU). Then, it will be brought to the State Cabinet for their approval.[10]

In July 2023, the Chairman of the state-owned strategic investment arm, Qhazanah Sabah Berhad, Yusof Yacob, claimed that representatives from the state investment arm had presented a feasibility study on the relocation of the airport to the Sabah Economic Planning Unit (EPU) and had met with Transport Ministry personnel about the proposal. The outcome was purportedly positive. He added that it would be up to the State Cabinet to approve the plans.[11]

The relocation would develop an area of 6,070.5 hectares. Out of the total area, 2,023.5 hectares was for the airport while the remaining for supporting services, a new airport city, industrial and residential areas. It would also include expansion programmes for Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) for the Aeronautics or aeroplane related industry the aviation training centre.[12]

In the wake of intense public opposition to the proposed relocation as well as a lack of political support, the State Government of Sabah has dissociated itself from the proposal. In January 2024, the Chief Minister of Sabah, Hajiji Noor, stated that the current airport can still be used for at least 7 to 10 years and that there is therefore no immediate need to relocate the airport. He also dismissed calls from certain parties for the airport to be relocated merely to allow for more skyscrapers to be built in Kota Kinabalu.[13] The issue was finally put to rest in March 2024 when the Federal Minister of Transport, Anthony Loke, confirmed during a session of the Malaysian Parliament that the Federal Government has no plans to relocate the airport and would instead look into expanding the current airport. Echoing the criticisms raised by the people of Sabah, Loke noted the distance of the proposed new airport from Kota Kinabalu as well as the significant costs which would be incurred to construct the same.[14]

Criticisms

The proposal to relocate the airport to Kimanis is deeply unpopular and has received universal criticism from the people of Sabah, transportation industry experts as well as politicians from across the political spectrum. The main criticisms include:

  • questions as to how necessary it is to construct a new airport, considering that the data does not show that the current airport is operating beyond or close to its capacity;[15]
  • the unsuitability of the proposed site for the new airport, which is in a rural location approximately 60km south of Kota Kinabalu and is currently not linked to Kota Kinabalu by any form of public transportation;[16]
  • the added cost, hassle and inconvenience which would be caused to passengers having to travel between Kota Kinabalu and the new airport;[17]
  • the absence of public transportation between Kota Kinabalu and the proposed site for the new airport, with no commitment having been made by the State Government to ensure that such facilities will be built;[18]
  • the need to address more pressing infrastructural issues in Kota Kinabalu and Sabah more generally, especially given the limited resources available to the State government of Sabah;[19]
  • the advantages of retaining the current airport, including its proximity to downtown Kota Kinabalu and the comparative ease of expanding the airport in the future due to its seaside location;[20] and
  • the damage which would be caused to the economy of Kota Kinabalu should the airport be relocated to Kimanis, including the loss of job opportunities for residents of Kota Kinabalu.[21]

As there is no data and no cogent reasons to support the claim that Kota Kinabalu requires a new airport, there is a strong public sentiment that the construction of a new airport would be an unnecessary waste of funds and that the new airport would end up being a white elephant.[22]

In terms of the political response, UMNO and Parti Warisan Sabah have both objected to the proposed new airport. The Member of Parliament for Kota Kinabalu, Chan Foong Hin, has also raised suspicions regarding the appointment of Berjaya Land to conduct the feasibility study, stating that Qhazanah Sabah has awarded many project contracts to Berjaya Land seemingly without an open tender being conducted.[23]

Facilities

The proposed airport would feature at least two runways and more hangar facilities for general aviation operators.

Connectivity

Pan Borneo Sabah WP04

The proposed new airport would be connected to Kota Kinabalu by the Pan-Borneo Highway WP04 which is currently under construction and also the existing Malaysia Federal Route 1 (Sabah). No public transportation is presently available between Kota Kinabalu and the site of the proposed new airport.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Sabah govt investment arm signs MoU with Berjaya Land to explore moving Kota Kinabalu International Airport to Kimanis". The Edge. 30 June 2022.
  2. ^ "Kota Kinabalu airport to be relocated to Kimanis: state investment arm". The Vibes. 30 June 2022.
  3. ^ "Qhazanah Sabah inks deal with Berjaya Land for study on KK airport move to Kimanis". Borneo Post. 30 June 2022.
  4. ^ "Taklimat Kajian Kemungkinan Bagi Cadangan Pembangunan KKIA Baharu dan Bandar Aerotopolis Di Kimanis". JKR website. 22 December 2022.
  5. ^ "SESI LIBAT URUS UNTUK MELENGKAPKAN KAJIAN KEMUNGKINAN CADANGAN PEMBANGUNAN LAPANGAN TERBANG ANTARABANGSA KOTA KINABALU (KKIA) BAHARU DAN HAB INDUSTRI-AEROTROPOLIS DI KIMANIS, DAERAH PAPAR, SABAH MELALUI SYARIKAT USAHASAMA ANTARA QHAZANAH SABAH BERHAD BERSAMA BEJAYA LAND BERHAD". JAS website. 26 September 2022.
  6. ^ "KKIA relocation meeting". KKIP Aerospace Facebook. 17 February 2023.
  7. ^ "KKIA Workshop 2.0 jointly held by QSB and B-Land". Qhazanah website. 18 February 2023.
  8. ^ "'Second feasibility study on KKIA's relocation to Kimanis almost complete'". The Vibes. 23 May 2023.
  9. ^ "Kota Kinabalu International Airport relocation study in final stages". Daily Express. 23 May 2023.
  10. ^ "KK airport relocation study completed, to be presented on Thursday". NST news. 17 July 2023.
  11. ^ "Relocation of KKIA to Kimanis takes up five 5 years". Bernama News. 31 July 2023.
  12. ^ "Airport relocation likely to happen in 2030, if Sabah cabinet approves". NST News. 31 July 2023.
  13. ^ "Hajiji says no immediate need to move KKIA". Daily Express. 17 January 2024.
  14. ^ "Loke: No plans to build new airport in KK". Mew Straits Times. 11 March 2024.
  15. ^ "'Don't waste money on relocating KK airport, Sabah govt told". Daily Express. 20 July 2023.
  16. ^ "'Don't waste money on relocating KK airport, Sabah govt told". Daily Express. 20 July 2023.
  17. ^ "'Don't waste money on relocating KK airport, Sabah govt told". Daily Express. 20 July 2023.
  18. ^ "People over profits: Leave KK airport alone". The Malay Mail. 19 July 2023.
  19. ^ "'Don't waste money on relocating KK airport, Sabah govt told". Daily Express. 20 July 2023.
  20. ^ "'Resiting KKIA a waste of money'". Daily Express. 22 July 2023.
  21. ^ "Warisan, Umno against resiting Kota Kinabalu International Airport". Daily Express. 5 September 2023.
  22. ^ "People over profits: Leave KK airport alone". The Malay Mail. 19 July 2023.
  23. ^ "MP calls for answers on KK airport relocation deal". Free Malaysia Today. 4 July 2022.


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