KUANTAN: The RM2 billion Kuantan International Airport which will be part of the Pahang aerospace city project in Gebeng near here will be fully operational in 2026.
The existing Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Airport will be moved to the new location to support the Third National Physical Plan, where the high impact project site will serve as an integrated national transit (air, land and sea) city.
Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail said Gading Group Bhd is the main developer appointed by the Pahang government to build the Kuantan International Airport along with the aerospace city mixed development project at a site measuring 5,042ha in Gebeng.
"The company has business expertise in the aerospace field including providing equipment and services for aircraft and machinery or other types of equipment related to air services. Other companies appointed as strategic partners under this project also have expertise, strong experience and a good track record in developing airport infrastructure and mixed development.
"The project which was planned at the end of 2019 has received the approval of the 39th National Physical Planning Council (NPPC) chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob on Oct 21 last year," he said in a statement today.
Wan Rosdy had earlier accompanied the Regent of Pahang, Tengku Hassanal Ibrahim Alam Shah Al-Sultan Abdullah, to witness the Kuantan International Airport and aerospace city mixed development project construction MoU signing ceremony.
Pahang Corporation Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Datuk Mohd Khusain Harumaini represented the Pahang government in signing the MoU for the airport with Gading Group executive chairman Datuk Seri Johari Harun and AVIC International chief representative to Malaysia, Zhuo Yue, as the strategic partner.
For the aerospace city mixed development project, the MoU was signed between Johari and Syabas Seribumi Sdn Bhd director Mohamad Nor Hamid as the strategic partner.
Meanwhile, Wan Rosdy said the projects took into account other economic factors including its location near the Gebeng industrial plant, Kuantan Port and East Coast Rail Link (ECRL), besides serving as the main gateway to the states in the East Coast.
"These projects are expected to be a catalyst for economic growth in Pahang involving a Gross Development Value (GDV) of RM7.5 billion per year or equivalent to RM150 billion over 20 years. The Pahang government aims to gain at least one per cent of the Asia Pacific maintenance, overhaul & repair (MRO) market which is estimated at around RM15 trillion.
"The project involves 70 per cent for the MRO and the remaining 30 per cent is for Kuantan International Airport's operations. The project was implemented through the Private Financing Initiative with the concept of Build-Own-Operate (BOO) where the airport's operations will be handled by a company through the setting of a special purpose vehicle namely Pahang Airport Bhd," he said.
He said the project will create new job openings with a target of 20,000 employment opportunities for airport operations and 30,000 jobs in other sectors involving skilled and semi -skilled manpower at industrial, services and tourism sectors.
Wan Rosdy said he hoped that plans to establish the Pahang aerospace city will turn the state into the top choice among investors in the country, especially with a variety of services.