Kedah MB vows to see through airport project

Kedah Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor says he will do everything it takes to realise the construction of the Kedah International Airport (KXP), regardless of the obstacles in his way. 

He said this included toppling the administration of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, if need be. 

He said investor confidence had been undermined by Anwar's withholding of approval for the project. 

"We have finished spending, and I was not even the one who championed this project. 

"I have nothing to lose if I walk away. But I want to do this for the state. I will fight until it happens. If Anwar does not allow it, I will bring him down," he said on an episode of the Keluar Sekejap podcast with Khairy Jamaluddin and Shahril Hamdan last night. 
 
The Kedah government has so far spent RM30 million on the KXP project. 

remarks followed a meeting with Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli in an engagement session on the 12th Malaysia Plan half-term review in Kedah.

Rafizi had said that the state government would need to show financial sustainability to avoid intervention by the central government. 

Sanusi, the Jeneri assemblyman, said the plans had been submitted when Mustapa Mohamed was the economy minister under Muhyiddin Yassin's administration. 

"Tok Pa gave it to the Public Private Cooperation Unit to be brought to the Cabinet," he said, referring to Mustapa. 

"But the current government doesn't look back on old files. The officer has been there for years, you will have to ask him. 

"But don't believe the officer, as if nothing has happened," he added. 

The KXP project currently uses a private finance initiative model, after failing to obtain funding from the federal government. 

It is part of the Kedah Aerotropolis, which also includes a commercial centre and an aerospace hub.

It was initially meant for passenger travel, but was turned into a cargo hub after discussions with Penang. 

Sanusi said he had met with administrative representatives from Hunan in China to discuss the KXP project. 

He said Hunan would choose Sumatera as its distribution centre if the airport did not materialise. 

"The economic hub of Hunan was developed based on airports and carries one billion tonnes of cargo.

"Kedah would become a transhipment hub for the distribution of cargo from Europe to Asia Pacific. Hunan needs a new branch here to operate," he said.