Better to appoint political parties as consultants

Published on: Sunday, September 10, 2023

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SABAH is renowned for its diverse political landscape, boasting over 20 political parties. Unfortunately, many of these parties seem to overstep their boundaries by positioning themselves as authorities on a wide range of subjects.

A prime example of this is the recent claim by both Umno and Warisan, suggesting that there’s no necessity to relocate KK International Airport to Kimanis.

These self-proclaimed political parties as consultants often neglect to acknowledge several crucial facts.

KK International Airport was constructed back in the 1950s when the air traffic to KK was minimal, primarily consisting of Royal Air Force flights and bi-weekly Cathay Pacific flights.

At that time, the surrounding area was largely undeveloped jungle, with Tanjung Aru boasting only Aru trees along its beaches. Numerous countries around the world have relocated their airports to modernised facilities to accommodate growing passenger numbers.

There’s a widely accepted rule that airports should be situated at least 10 kilometers away from the nearest housing development for safety and noise considerations. Closer to home, Subang was relocated to Sepang, a location approximately 50 kilometers away.

The result was a new, modernised airport capable of serving 20 million passengers daily, compared to the 100,000 at Subang.

It would not be prudent for Malaysian Airports to consider appointing UMNO and Warisan Sabah as consultants to expedite the relocation of KK International Airport to Kimanis.

If a feasibility study, and the increasing number of complaints about the substandard facilities at KK International Airport fail to motivate politicians to make the right decision, then it underscores just how disconnected these political parties are from the realities faced by ordinary citizens.

Orang Bisaya

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