This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily on November 12, 2019

KUALA LUMPUR: A decision had yet to be made on constructing a new airport on Tioman Island, according to the transport ministry (MoT).

The proposal must be presented to the National Physical Planning Council, before the ministry gives it due consideration, the MoT said in a statement yesterday.

“As such, until now, no decision has been made by the federal government regarding this project’s implementation,” it added.

The statement came after a Malay-language daily reported Pahang Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail as saying the cabinet had approved the construction of a new airport on Tioman Island, and that the project was expected to commence soon.

Wan Rosdy reportedly said the cabinet and state government had come to an agreement about the project and the site’s parcel, and that only the project’s cost had yet to be finalised. He also said the project would be undertaken by the private sector, together with the Pahang state government.

In June 2018, Berjaya Group executive chairman Tan Sri Vincent Tan announced that the group planned to build a RM1.2 billion airport on the island. However, then Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd managing director Datuk Mohd Badlisham Ghazali said previous plans to develop an airport on Tioman Island were not approved as environmental impact assessment studies showed the project would involve land reclamation.