KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia and Singapore have reached an agreement
to resolve their differences on landing procedures for commercial flights at the republic’s Seletar Airport, as well as the imposition of height restrictions for aircraft in Pasir Gudang, Johor.
The agreement will see Singapore withdraw the Instrument Landing System (ILS) procedure for Seletar Airport and Malaysia indefinitely suspend its permanent Restricted Area (RA) status over Pasir Gudang.
The agreement was outlined in a joint statement issued by Malaysian Transport Minister Anthony Loke and his Singapore counterpart Khaw Boon Wan, today.
"This agreement was implemented by the civil aviation authorities of both countries on April 5, 2019 (at 11.59pm).
"With this agreement, the Transport Minister looks forward to Firefly Sdn Bhd's commencement of fights to Seletar Airport effective April", said the joint statement.
Both transport ministers also noted that a High Level Committee has been set up to review the Operational Letter of Agreement Between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore Area Control Centres Concerning Singapore Arrivals, Departures and Overflights 1974.
The statement added that both Loke and Khaw welcomed the positive steps and look forward to further strengthening bilateral cooperation.
This agreement comes ahead of the ninth Singapore-Malaysia Leaders' Retreat, scheduled for April 8 and 9, here.
On Jan 8, Malaysia and Singapore agreed for both sides to immediately and simultaneously suspend Malaysia's permanent RA over Pasir Gudang and Singapore’s ILS procedures for Seletar Airport for a period of one month.
Firefly’s services to Singapore were suspended on Dec 1, 2018, as it had not received approval from the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia to move its operations from Changi Airport to the republic’s Seletar Airport.
Firefly, a full subsidiary of Malaysia Airlines, operated 20 daily flights from Subang, Ipoh and Kuantan to the island nation.
Malaysia objected to the new landing procedures for Seletar, claiming that flights would be subject to height restrictions and that it would affect development in Pasir Gudang.
On Dec 25, Malaysia established an RA for the purpose of military activities over Pasir Gudang. This saw flights from any country, including Malaysia, requiring prior approval from the Royal Malaysian Air Force to operate in the zone between 2,000 and 5,000 feet.
Malaysia had objected to the use of the ILS at Seletar airport because aircraft guided by the system would violate Malaysian airspace.
The airport is just two kilometres from Pasir Gudang in Johor.