KOTA KINABALU: There should be no urgency in relocating the Kota Kinabalu International Airport to Kimanis, said Kota Kinabalu member of parliament Chan Foong Hin.
He said for now, the airport has yet to reach maximum capacity and any issues can be solved with good and efficient management from the airport.
"I didn't see the return of the tourists to the maximum capacity of the airport, but sometimes flights from South Korea arrive here at about the same time, which has caused bottlenecks.
"This is more to the management of the airport in terms of arranging the flying schedules," he said when met at the Frozen Dim Sum processing project at Putatan Ramayah here.
Chan, who is also Deputy Agriculture and Food Industry minister, added that it was also a misconception that an international airport cannot be located in the centre of the city.
He added that the beautiful panorama view while descending to the Kota Kinabalu airport was a plus point for tourists.
In contrast, Chan is concerned with the logistics arrangement should the airport be moved to Kimanis, about 60 kilometres from here.
"The Pan Borneo Highway (connecting both districts) has yet to be completed, if it is going to be moved to Kimanis, we need to take into consideration travelling time.
"We haven't conducted any study to determine the time it takes for tourists and locals to reach the airport before departing. The traffic is constantly congested.
"Without a comprehensive plan, I don't believe we should be hasty in advocating for relocation.
"I'm not saying it should never happen in the future, but at present, I don't perceive the urgency."
He added that a mega project of this scale would require approval from the Transport Ministry, regardless of the state government's intentions.