PUTRAJAYA (June 12): The Transport Ministry has yet to receive any proposals to build new airports in Kulim and Tioman Island, said its Minister Anthony Loke.

"No proposal has been given to the Ministry of Transport," Loke told reporters at the Transport Ministry office here today after receiving donations to Tabung Harapan Malaysia, amounting to more than RM2 million, from property developer Seri Pajam Sdn Bhd and Cameron Highlands Taxi Drivers' Association.

"I have reviewed all the existing projects under the Transport Ministry and as far as I am concerned I have not seen the Kulim airport proposal on the table," he added.

Separately, Loke said the government has yet to receive a proposal from tycoon Tan Sri Vincent Tan to build and expand the airport in Tioman Island, which was said to worth RM1.2 billion.

"If the proposal arrive then it is only appropriate that I will comment on that," he added.

The project to build an international airport on a proposed 600-hectare oil palm land in Kidam Siri, Kulim, has been in consideration by the both the Kedah and federal governments since 2014.

With an initial start-up cost of RM1.6 billion, the new airport — to be codenamed KXP — is said to ease the excess passenger capacity and cargo operations at the Penang International Airport, which currently has the capacity to support the movement of 6.5 million passengers annually.

At the early stage, the RM1.6 billion sum was said to cover expenses such as land acquisition, infrastructure development, and construction of two runways.

The feasibility study to build the much anticipated airport was said to have been carried out by parties that include KPMG, Bina Darulaman Bhd, Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) and Northern Corridor Implementation Agency.

As for the airport at Tioman Island, it was previously reported that MAHB managing director Datuk Badlisham Ghazali had said the plan to develop the airport on the island was not approved as "environmental impact assessment studies showed that the project would involve land reclamation".

It is worth noting that Tan owns and operates Berjaya Air Sdn Bhd, a private charter flight service to more than 30 destinations in Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and China.