KOTA BARU: The Sultan Ismail Petra Airport runway will be extended by 400m.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the cabinet had, last week, approved the extension as a fast-track project to be parked under Phase Two of upgrade works at the airport.
With the extension, he said, the airport runway will be at a length of 2,800m.
Loke said he would discuss the additional cost for the project with the Finance Ministry.
He said parking the extension under Phase Two of the airport's upgrade works would save time as it would not have to undergo a further tender process.
"In my meeting with Kelantan menteri besar today, l brought good news to the state and its people.
"Last week, the cabinet approved the extension for the airport's runway. This fast track project will be include in Phase Two of the airport's extension and upgrading project.
"The government is confident that the project will be carried out smoothly and will bring more traffic and international flights to Kelantan," he told reporters.
Present were Menteri Besar Datuk Mohd Nassuruddin Daud and state Public Works, Infrastructure, Water and Rural Development Committee chairman Datuk Dr Izani Husin.
Loke said a meeting would be held soon between the ministry and the contractor involved in the project.
"The discussion will take between two and three months as it also involves other ministries.
"With the extension of the runway, it will boost Kelantan as a east coast hub," he added.
Nassuruddin thanked the federal government, especially Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Loke, for approving the project.
"This will help boost the state tourism industry as well as the state's economy," he added.