The recently announced aviation projects in Kedah—the Kulim Airport and the Northern Aeropolis and Aerospace Hub—will further stimulate and improve the state’s economy.
The new Kulim Airport project will help alleviate the load of the Penang International Airport, which had reached maximum capacity with no more space to expand, said Economics Affairs Minister Datuk Sri Mohamed Azmin Ali on 21 March 2019.
It will provide industrial cargo services and open up more space for expansion at a cheaper location within the northern corridor. The airport is one of the seven mega projects in a RM3 billion development boost announced by the Federal government for the state.
On 28 March 2019, Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir also signed seven MOUs between Mentri Besar Kedah Incorporated (MBI Kedah) and Global Aerospace Sdn Bhd, AeroPlans Asia Sdn Bhd, UA Aerospace Sdn Bhd and TGAC Group.
These agreements will see the construction of an Aeropolis and Aerospace Hub in Alor Setar, along with the final assembly facilities for the Avic Harbin Y12 aircraft and MRO Centre for the Avic Harbin A312E Helicopter.
The aerospace hub will be implemented in three phases, with the first phase expected to start in the first quarter of 2020 and fully operational by the end of the year. This first phase, which includes the assembly facilities, will create about 800 jobs, while the subsequent phases, which include the manufacturing facilities and technology transfers, will create about 2,000 jobs. — Construction+ Online
