2 projects to boost Perak's economic growth


POH, Sat:

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi announced two projects yesterday to boost Perak’s economic growth and assist its return to the glory days when it flourished during the tin mining boom of the 1970s and 1980s.
The projects are to upgrade the Sultan Azlan Shah Airport here and establish a commuter train service between Ipoh and Penang.

Abdullah said the projects would generate more economic activity for the Kinta Valley, especially from the upgrading of the airport, whose runway would be extended to allow for bigger aircraft and more traffic.

"Perak needs better airport facilities so that it will be able to cater to the changes in the economic landscape and boost its growth," he said after a luncheon with state Umno and Barisan Nasional leaders and heads of department at the Impiana Casuarina Hotel yesterday.

Abdullah was on a one-day working visit of Perak. He was accompanied by his wife Datin Seri Jeanne Abdullah.
Abdullah said with the plans for the airport, Firefly, the Malaysia Airlines subsidiary, has agreed to operate flights from the airport to local and regional destinations.



On the commuter train service, Abdullah said it would enable faster access to and from Ipoh and Penang and allow workers to commute between Ipoh and Penang, Seberang Perai and Sungai Petani, Kedah.

not in 5 years.

Commuter ke regioal train service? Mr.Hadhari say wrong things IMO.All politicians do.

Work on KL-Ipoh commuter train service may begin next year

By MANJIT KAUR

KUALA LUMPUR: If all negotiations go well, works on the commuter train service between Ipoh and Penang will start early next year.

Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy said currently the government was in the midst of discussing with the contractor involved on the matter.

He said they were waiting for a technical proposal or plan from the contactor.

"We hope the negotiations can be concluded before year end, so that work can begin early next year.

"We are not sure about the cost yet, as the ministry, the Finance Ministry and the Economic Planning Unit (EPU) have to decide on the matter collectively,'' he told reporters at Wisma MCA here on Saturday, after announcing on a cultural and dinner event to be held in-conjunction with the country's 50th anniversary in October.

Chan was asked to comment on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's announcement on Friday that travellers could look forward to a bigger airport in Ipoh and a fast commuter train service from Penang.

Abdullah had said that the train service could be expanded later to other northern destinations like Sungai Petani.

When asked how long will it take for the project to be completed, Chan said overall, including the double-tracking project from Ipoh to Padang Besar, the service was expected to start in five years time.

"I am happy with the announcements made by the Prime Minister as this will bring a positive impact to the development in Kinta valley,'' he added.

On the expansion of the Sultan Azlan Shah Airport, Chan said it was good news, as prior to that, Air Asia had stopped flights from Ipoh to Senai due to the runway being too short for its aircraft.

"I am happy that with the expansion, bigger aircraft such as the A320 Airbus can land at the airport,'' he added.

Commuter? Ipoh to Penang distance quite long......i think if the service is going to be introduced, maybe it would be just like the KL - Ipoh rapid train service.....but then, maybe we have to wait for the Ipoh - Padang Besar electrified double tracking project, then they can start the Ipoh to Penang service....hehe, hopefully they can max it out to 160 km/h at least....

even the ERL hardl touches 160km/h how could commuter train on narrow gauge do that. unless they gonna bring in new trainsets.

A brand new trainset from Hitachi can run on narrow gauge, at top speed of 160 km/h....like those use in Australia (QRail)...

http://www.hitachi-rail.com/about_us/delivery/rail_vehicles/tilt_train/images/tilt_train_2.jpg

or tilting train in Taiwan..

http://www.hitachi-rail.com/rail_now/hot_topics/2006/railway/images/2006_01.jpg

Hopefully when the double tracking project begins, they can realign the tracks a bit so that we can maximise the speed as fast as possible.....and make sure they use tilting train to achieve that...

Hopefully that's possible. 160 Km/h Is enough for me.

Source : http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/7/1/nation/18184540&sec=nation

No tech proposal yet on Penang-Ipoh train project

KUALA LUMPUR: The contractor for the commuter train service between Ipoh and Penang has yet to submit a technical proposal on the project to the Government.

Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy said the Government was still in discussion with the contractor.

“We hope the negotiations can be concluded before year's end, so that work can begin early next year. We are not sure about the cost yet, as the ministry, Finance Ministry and Economic Planning Unit have to decide on the matter collectively,'' he told reporters at Wisma MCA here yesterday after announcing a cultural and dinner event to be held in October in conjunction with the country's 50th independence anniversary.

Chan was asked to comment on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's announcement on Friday that travellers could look forward to a bigger airport in Ipoh and a fast commuter train service from Penang.

Abdullah had said that the train service could be expanded later to other northern destinations like Sungai Petani.

When asked how long it will take for the project to be completed, Chan said that including the double-tracking project from Ipoh to Padang Besar, the service was expected to start in five years.

“I am happy with the announcements made by the Prime Minister as this will bring a positive impact to development in the Kinta Valley,'' he added.

On the expansion of the Sultan Azlan Shah Airport, Chan said that it was good news as AirAsia had stopped flights from Ipoh to Senai due to the runway being too short for its aircraft.

“I am happy that with the expansion, bigger aircraft such as the A320 Airbus can land at the airport,'' he added.

Perak MB Hopes Local Airlines Use LTSAS
June 30, 2007 20:52 PM

IPOH, 30 Jun (Bernama) -- Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Tajol Rosli Ghazali, pleased with the announcement on the proposed extension of the landing strip at the Sultan Azlan Shah Airport (LTSAS), hopes that this would prompt airlines in the country to include Ipoh in their flight routes.

He said the Malaysia Airlines (MAS), Firefly and AirAsia should take the announcement seriously by planning to have flights to LTSAS.

"They should not only think of making quick profits but also as a social project for the people in Perak," he added.

He was reacting to an announcement by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi yesterday that the government would expand the LTSAS airport and also provide commuter train service between Ipoh and Penang to spur development in the Kinta Valley.

"The Prime Minister sympathises with us (Perak) more and understands the plight of the people in the state who do not enjoy flight services when MAS and AirAsia ceased their operations at LTSAS," Tajol Rosli told reporters after opening the Perak Agricultural Market Carnival at Tambun here.

Currently, he said the LTSAS was used only by two Indonesian airlines, Merpati and Jentayu, for flights to Medan.

He said the expansion of the LTSAS, which would include extension of the landing strip, was expected to cost RM40 million.

Tajol Rosli also suggested that airlines intending to operate at LTSAS to have daily morning and evening flights between Ipoh and KL International Airport and Subang.

He also hoped that Firefly, which is expected to widen its operations with the purchase of 20 turboprop ATR aircraft from Italy to make LTSAS as one of its major destinations.

-- BERNAMA

Abdullah Announces Two Projects To Spur Kinta Valley Development
June 29, 2007 18:46 PM

IPOH, June 29 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi announced today that the government will upgrade the Sultan Azlan Shah Airport here and establish a commuter train service between Ipoh and Penang.

The prime minister said the two projects would spur development in the Kinta Valley.

"We'll extend the runway. We need to have a better airport," he told reporters after attending a luncheon with state government and Barisan Nasional leaders, department heads and Umno veterans at a hotel here before concluding his one-day visit to Perak.

Abdullah said the airport would be expanded and eventually used by Malaysia Airlines' low-fare subsidiary, Firefly.

However, he did not say when the projects would start.

The state government and several groups, especially those representing Perak tourism and manufacturing sectors, have been clamouring for the airport to be upgraded to enable it to accommodate bigger aircraft.

The Transport Ministry has previously suggested that the airport be used as a hub for low-cost carriers for the northern region and Asia.

The Perak government has also indicated its willingness to fork out RM40 million to upgrade the airport if there were guarantees that the facility would be used for domestic and international flights.

On the proposed commuter train between Ipoh and Penang, Abdullah said the service was needed in line with the rapid growth seen in Perak and the northern region comprising places like Penang, Seberang Perai and Sungai Petani in Kedah.

He said the commuter service would address traffic congestion and facilitate the movement of people between the states involved.

In his speech, Abdullah urged the people to keep tabs on goings-on in their respective families as this was necessary towards ensuring the well-being of the society.

During his brief visit to the state accompanied by his wife Datin Seri Jeanne Abdullah, the prime minister opened an exposition to commemorate the country's 50th independence anniversary, Visit Malaysia 2007 and 100th anniversary of Perak Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry at the Indera Mulia Stadium here.

Abdullah and Jeanne, who married recently, were also feted by the wives of state elected representatives at Perak Menteri Besar's official residence where the couple was presented with a cake.

-- BERNAMA

Hopefully that's possible. 160 Km/h Is enough for me.

Running at 160 km/h could place us to have one of the fastest narrow gauge train service in the world, close to QRail (Australia)....

Work on KL-Ipoh commuter train service may begin next year

By MANJIT KAUR

KUALA LUMPUR: If all negotiations go well, works on the commuter train service between Ipoh and Penang will start early next year. .Wow...how did the editor miss this?


Abdullah had said that the train service could be expanded later to other northern destinations like Sungai Petani.
Regional train service, not Komuter.

Komuter Utara and Komuter Selatan...why not...but then what would they name the existing Klang Valley and Environs Komuter Service?

Hmmm....Komuter Utara would service mostly Prai. I dont think you could count on Komuter service down to Ipoh but a regional train? Sure....

And Komuter Selatan? JB and Senai connected? Why not? After all, they already have a station called JB Sentral.

Hmmm..but what to call the station at Butterworth? Butterworth Sentral? Penang Sentral? Prai Sentral? PP (for Pulau Pinang) Sentral?

All in all, good thinking and a promising future for rail transit...but I have two wishes...

First, I want people to realize that the double-tracking is the big deal and the electrification is a minor thing...double-tracking is huge! So, double tracking to Ipoh means alot more to me than electrification....

Notice that KTM Komuter was able to introduce the shuttle service to Rasa? I was worried that an extension would mean disruptions on the Rawang-Seremban route but it didnt happen. So there is some good thinking going on.

Similarly, consider the planned rail service to Port Dickson...it doesnt necessarily need electrification to be effective...just get the double tracking there....

Do we need to have electric commuter trains between Prai and Ipoh? Between Ipoh and KL? Not as much as we need double tracking...so the regular KTM service...can become reliable....then we can start focusing on better regional rail and komuter rail services....

In fact, why not double track the entire country and worry about the electrification later?

Oh, yeah, my second wish is that the reporters would get the details straight...

Cheers, m

We dun necessarily need electrification for high speed. VLine in AUstralia use DMU can reach 160km/h while India's Shatabdi can reach 130km/h.

Source : http://www.answers.com/topic/qr-tilt-train

http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/thumb/0/03/300px-Tilt_train.jpg

The diesel version of QRail....it is narrow gauge, i think this is suited for our lines..

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/6/4/maritime/17897745&sec=maritime

This article contains the reason for electrification, personally i am in favour it in some routes...major cities i guess..

MB: Money for extending Ipoh runway may not be used if airport is under used

PENGKALAN HULU (Perak): The state government may not use the RM40mil allocation from the Federal Government to extend the runway of the Sultan Azlan Airport in Ipoh if the airport remains underused.

Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohd Tajol Rosli Ghazali said there was no point in spending the allocation, which was approved by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi during his visit to Ipoh last Friday.

“The extension of the runway should be reciprocated with flights by AirAsia and Firefly to and from the airport.

“There is no meaning (for the runway extension) if there are no flights by Firefly or AirAsia,” he said.

“If the airport is under-utilised, it would be better to use the allocation for other purposes as this is the people’s money,” he said at the ground-breaking ceremony for Northgate, a new growth centre located at the Perak- Thailand border near here on Monday.




suprise...suprise...a reverse statement from Malaysian politican....damn funny la this guy...:nuts:

actually the main agenda is to force Air Asia and Firefly to fly into Ipoh so that he can enhance connectivity around the area and Perak state in general...he was disappointed because Air Asia stop flights from JHB, with general election coming, people will ask what he did to Perak in general during his tenure in office. For me he has to accept that Ipoh dont have many appeals to airlines considering there's two international airport in PEN and KUL 2 hours and 3 hours away by car.

And giving the volume of economic importance of Ipoh (say, cargo operation) which clearly doesnt justify the needs for any airlines to operate frequently from Ipoh.

And as usual, politicians use 'social responsiblity' magic words when dealing with this issues.

What can you expect, when you wanna go to KL (SZB), check in at least 45 minutes before flight, 30 minutes journey, where you can actually drive to KL in less than that (140 km/h, straight to the door of your destination)? and for less than the ticket price of taking flights from IPH to SZB....

IPH is too small. Even Alor Star struggle to keep flights.

But I read from newspaper that the Menteri Besar of Perak actually said that if Air Asia or MAS is not going to increase/use the airport... then he rather uses the money on other things which can be beneficial to the citizens... I think that's a very wise thinking he has in mind...

read fairul post

To be frank, we from Ipoh and the surrounding still have doubt whether all the KTMB projects will be implemented on time. Just imagine the rail track from Kuala Lumpur Central - Ipoh - Kuala Lumpur (170 kms) has been long delayed and postponed for more than 10 years. Till today, we are still waiting when the inter rapid train going to commece and start operation.

In fact the project kicked off together with Xining (Qinghai) to Lahsa (Tibet), a distance of 2,000 kms, Chinese Government took about 8 years to complete.

Also few years ago, when Dato Ling Liong Sik was a Transport Minister, he once visited the site and mentioned that the rail track was 80% completed and due to operate next year. But still today, we are waiting eagerly and patiently Same with the extension of Ipoh Airport as well. Dah berapa kali cakap, from one person to another.

So we can may forget about all the new lines, Ipoh - Butterworth - Padang Besar, Seremban - Johor Baru, new lines additional proposed Tampin - Melaka, Ipoh - Lumut, Seremban - Port Dickson, Mentakab - Kuantan - Kuala Terenganu lines.

If we really want to see Dr Mahathir's vision, taking a train leisurely from Singapore - Kuala Lumpur - Bangkok - Kunming, China, may be another 25 years, base on our KTMB capabilties and current pace.

May be we have to lambat lambat tunggu sampai tua.

Just updated the latest progress and hope these time it won't be any delayed with 99% completed.


July 06, 2007 21:26 PM

Rawang-Ipoh Double Track Almost Complete
SERDANG, July 6 (Bernama) -- The Rawang-Ipoh double track commuter train project is nearing completion, said Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy.

"It is almost 99 percent completed. I will be making inspections on it next week," he told reporters after launching the Permai Central Transport Hub near here today.

The RM4.6-billion project spanning 180km, which will provide Rawang and Ipoh a high speed rail link, would be operational by early next year, he said.

Meanwhile, Chan said contractors involved in the Ipoh-Padang Besar double tracking project were working on its cost with the Economic Planning Unit (EPU), Finance Ministry and his ministry.

The 330km-project is expected to resume early next year and due for completion in 2012. It was postponed in 2003 to curtail government spending on mega projects.

"Once this project is completed, we do not see any problem in operating a commuter train service between Penang and Ipoh," Chan said.

On the Sultan Azlan Shah Airport upgrading project, he said a study was still underway to ascertain whether the project will just involve extension of the runway or include the expansion of the airport terminal building.

"My officers are meeting with the EPU and Finance Ministry to follow up on the matter. It might take two to three weeks to come up with the costing for the project," he said.

-- BERNAMA

Just updated the latest progress and hope these time it won't be any delayed with 99% completed.


July 06, 2007 21:26 PM

Rawang-Ipoh Double Track Almost Complete
SERDANG, July 6 (Bernama) -- The Rawang-Ipoh double track commuter train project is nearing completion, said Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy.

"It is almost 99 percent completed. I will be making inspections on it next week," he told reporters after launching the Permai Central Transport Hub near here today.

The RM4.6-billion project spanning 180km, which will provide Rawang and Ipoh a high speed rail link, would be operational by early next year, he said.

Meanwhile, Chan said contractors involved in the Ipoh-Padang Besar double tracking project were working on its cost with the Economic Planning Unit (EPU), Finance Ministry and his ministry.

The 330km-project is expected to resume early next year and due for completion in 2012. It was postponed in 2003 to curtail government spending on mega projects.

"Once this project is completed, we do not see any problem in operating a commuter train service between Penang and Ipoh," Chan said.

On the Sultan Azlan Shah Airport upgrading project, he said a study was still underway to ascertain whether the project will just involve extension of the runway or include the expansion of the airport terminal building.

"My officers are meeting with the EPU and Finance Ministry to follow up on the matter. It might take two to three weeks to come up with the costing for the project," he said.

-- BERNAMA

Nice to see you here again...

Well... Just hope it will complete on time for the track. But I am worrying on one thing... What commuter train will going to serve Ipoh-Rawang? It is good to see this project is ongoing.

If the Menteri Besar of Perak thinks that Air Asia and Firefly wont make use of the expanded airport, then yeah, why invest that money into it?

Better to put the money into the rail system, build the northern rail to Penang faster....

I hope it is clear to someone that with KL-Ipoh rapid train service almost running, and Ipoh-Penang rapid-train service being planned...then a KL-Penang rapid train is an obvious possibility....

so...forget the heavily subsidized money pits that we call airports, and dont rely on the tender mercies of Air Asia and Firefly...expand that train service!!!

Cheers, m

Since the PM has announced to extent the ipoh runway airport and upgrading the terminal building, the state government should be thankfull and take steps to make sure the project really take off the ground. Weather the airlines companies will fly to ipoh or not, the MB shouldnt be worried by now as the airport must be upgraded first.

When the works is completed i am sure the airlines will naturally fly to Ipoh. Even if they still refuse to fly to Ipoh the airport still can be used as other purpose eg. Flying Academy, Cargo, Flying Hospital Airport etc as the airport is ready to receive bigger aircrafts.

The MB must remember it is not easy to get Federal Government to approve this project as the state itself has been asking fund for many many years to upgrade the airport. If the state itself has doubt about the the prospect of the project i am sure the Federal Government will be happy to scrap off the project.

..... When the works is completed i am sure the airlines will naturally fly to Ipoh .....
Why ?

Originally Posted by Hisyam
..... When the works is completed i am sure the airlines will naturally fly to Ipoh .....

Why ?


Air Asia will resume their flight to Ipoh if the runway is longer. As it is now the runway is too short for bigger aircraft to land.

AT the moment the airport is underused

and u actually believe that

dont believe that..just accept the fact the market is not enough for flights to/from ipoh. Newspaper is not always right. It's one of the governments propaganda machine. And AirAsia too didnt want to be accused as greedy, they use the runway length as an excuse. Put yourself in Tony Fernandes shoes - ask yourself a question ; is it profitable to fly to Ipoh? I run a company not a charity.

The Star Metro -North
Tuesday August 7, 2007

Proposal to build new airport near Ipoh

THE Global Flying Hospitals (GFH), an international body that brings humanitarian medical support to developing countries, is willing to build a new airport in Seri Iskandar, about 40km from Ipoh.

State Infrastructure and Public Utilities chairman Datuk Ho Cheng Wang said the project which is expected to cost about RM301mil would not only be used for GFH’s operations but also to accommodate bigger aircraft such as Boeing 747s.

Ho said the GFH proposal was among the options being considered by a special committee comprising the Transport Ministry, the State Economic Planning Unit, the Economic Planning Unit of the Prime Minister’s Department, and the State Development Cor-poration which had met thrice so far.

Ho, who is also a member of the special committee, said it was important to have a new airport because no aeroplane was landing at the Sultan Azlan Shah airport now.

Speaking at a press conference, he said the other option being considered was to extend the runway to 1,981m from the present length of 1,798m at a cost of RM70mil but this could only accommodate the landings of A320 Airbus.

“Under the second proposal, the Sultan Azlan Shah airport runway will be extended to 2,400m at a cost of RM390mil but this will entail the acquisition of land and 605 houses have to go.

“I personally prefer the closing down of the airport so that Ipoh town can see high-rise buildings.

“The Civil Aviation Department has restricted the height of buildings in the town due to the presence of the airport nearby,” he added.

Ho said the GFH proposal was “logically better” as the body would bear the cost of construction of the new airport in Seri Iskandar.

“The proposed airport in Seri Iskandar will have a 3,780m-long runway and dual lanes, enabling aircraft of any size to land and take off simultaneously,” he said.

However, he said a final decision would be made after the Perak Government received feedback from the people.

Ho said Seri Iskandar was an ideal location since it was near the recently launched Northern Corridor Economic Region en-compassing Perlis, Kedah, Penang and northern Perak.

He said the Perak Government has offered 450ha of land in Seri Iskandar for a premium of RM10 and the area is already the home of various higher learning institutions such as Universiti Petronas and UiTM.

“The areas have also been identified for the Malaysia My Second Home Programme.

“Seri Iskandar is also about 30 minutes’ drive to Kampar, Ipoh and Pangkor, the prime tourist destination of Perak,” he added.

The Star Metro -North
Tuesday August 7, 2007

Proposal to build new airport near Ipoh


“The proposed airport in Seri Iskandar will have a 3,780m-long runway and dual lanes, enabling aircraft of any size to land and take off simultaneously,” he said.

Adoi ! :ohno:
:lol:

first thing first...who's going to land their 747 at Ipoh? dual lanes runway? such terms ke? :bash:reporter

first thing first...who's going to land their 747 at Ipoh?
Apparently, this "Global Flying Hospital" body is aspiring for a whole fleet of 747's with C130's as support as well.
Well, I guess only time will tell :)

not lie, post election, well Perakans want some project too

Sultan Azlan Shah airport upgrade is off (http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/8/15/nation/18593168&sec=nation)

SERI ISKANDAR: The plan to upgrade the terminal building and lengthen the runway of the under-utilised Sultan Azlan Shah Airport is off.

Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Tajol Rosli Ghazali said this was because the state government was concerned that money spent on the project might not generate the growth needed to boost economic activities in Ipoh and Perak.

Cheers, m

Look like the State Goverment is going towards another alternative -
close down Ipoh Airport and building new one at Sri Iskandar.

Sultan Azlan Shah airport upgrade is off

SERI ISKANDAR: The plan to upgrade the terminal building and lengthen the runway of the under-utilised Sultan Azlan Shah Airport is off.

Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Tajol Rosli Ghazali said this was because the state government was concerned that money spent on the project might not generate the growth needed to boost economic activities in Ipoh and Perak.

We need to look at other alternatives,” he said yesterday after attending a day with customers of Perak Tengah district office here, about 45km from Ipoh.

The airport in Ipoh is currently under-utilised, with only twice weekly flights from Ipoh to Medan.

Tajol Rosli pointed out that it would cost some RM70mil to lengthen the current runway to accommodate a Boeing 737, which could only ply the Kuala Lumpur-Ipoh route.

“This would not generate the growth needed for Ipoh.

He added that it would cost some RM309mil to upgrade the airport to allow an A320 Airbus to land with a limited fuel load, but the aircraft would not be able to fly to foreign destinations like Bangkok, Jakarta and Madras.

“So the airport will still be used only for the Ipoh-Kuala Lumpur sector,” he said.

One alternative, he said, was to build an airport near the town here, which would benefit the surrounding towns of Tronoh and Batu Gajah too.

“When the highway to Lumut is completed, then foreigners could even be drawn into buying second homes near here or in Pangkor Island,” he said.

dat indon airliner yg terbang ke ipoh use apa? 737 kan??

no need 2upgrade ipoh airport nor build a new kat sri iskandar la.. simply upgrade airstrip kat sitiawan lagi elok :lol:

but since people nak gak a brand new airport, teruskan the idea with a train connectivity from ipoh terus sampai lumut with a train terminal at the new airport.. haa howzdat?

The Star Metro -North
Tuesday August 7, 2007
Proposal to build new airport near Ipoh

Nod for new airport in Perak
Saturday August 18, 2007
By CLARA CHOOI
TheStar

IPOH: The Perak government has decided to build a new RM301mil airport in Seri Iskandar, but is concerned it may turn into a white elephant.

Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Tajol Rosli Ghazali said the Federal Government must discuss with the state government its plan for the new airport in the new township some 40km from here.

“If we are going to spend the money, we must make sure the airport is fully utilised and does not turn out like the Sultan Azlan Shah Airport,” he said.

Tajol Rosli said it would be a waste of taxpayers’ money if the new airport would only facilitate the Kuala Lumpur-Ipoh sector.

He explained that the Transport Ministry had given the state until yesterday to decide if it wanted to extend the runway at the Sultan Azlan Shah Airport or build a new airport at Seri Iskandar.

“We were told on Wednesday to make a decision by today,'' he said after giving out study loans here yesterday.

Tajol Rosli said it would cost RM70mil for the runway extension to accommodate the landings of A320 Airbus or Boeing 737 aircraft, which could only ply the Ipoh-Kuala Lumpur route.

A further RM390mil and the demolition of 605 houses would allow for the landing of an A320 Airbus on a three-quarter fuel load but would still not allow international flights to Bangkok, Jakarta and Madras, he added.

“The money can be spent but I am not prepared to demolish the 605 homes for this purpose. So, the only option is to construct a new one,” said Tajol Rosli.

He welcomes feedback from the public if they disagree with the state’s decision and have alternative ideas.

On a positive note, Tajol Rosli said that the construction of the new airport would mean that high-rise buildings exceeding 10-storeys could be built within the city.

He added that the location of an airport in Seri Iskandar was ideal as it was close to many other townships like Lumut, Batu Gajah, Kampar and even Pangkor Island.

New airport to serve Kinta Valley well

I REFER to the Perak Menteri Besar’s statement regarding the new airport for Ipoh (“Nod for new airport in Perak– The Star, Aug 18).

I believe a new airport in Seri Iskandar would be the best gift the Federal Government can give to the state. A new airport in this location would serve the Kinta Valley instead of just Ipoh .

An airport serving Ipoh is just not viable but one which serves the Kinta Valley i.e. Ipoh. , Setiawan, Lumut, Pangkor, Batu Gajah, Gopeng and Kampar can have a good chance to succeed if appropriate governments incentives are given.

A new airport will remove constrains peculiar to the present airport, namely, the mountains around Ipoh and the high cost to relocate settlements and houses.

Perhaps to start of, the new airport can be built to accommodate an A320 size plane, with provision for perhaps A380 in the future. :bash:

This airport should be linked to KLIA:bash: , Singapore, Bangkok, Jakarta, Medan and Hong Kong so that international investors and tourists may fly to the Kinta Valley for investment and tourism without the hassle of having to go through another airport in Malaysia.

The scenery in Pangkor and Lumut is fantastic for tourists and there is plenty of land in the Kinta Valley for development. It will also be much easier to get lecturers to come to Seri Iskandar, which is developing into an educational hub.

The Kinta Valley used to be as prosperous as the Klang Valley but within one generation, it had fallen very far behind owing to the absence of an international airport and seaport.

Let’s hope that some thoughts will be given in this new airport project together with some incentives to promote the Kinta Valley. It is also good for the Federal government to spread development throughout the nation.

Over-development in the Klang Valley is showing, as evidenced by traffic congestion and water shortage.

The Kinta Valley has abundant land and water resources. It used to have abundant human resources but unfortunately, many had drifted to the Klang Valley and other high growth areas in view of the lack of opportunities over the last one generation.

If the new airport is built, this flow may be reversed and hopefully in the next generation, the Kinta Valley can be on par with the Klang Valley in terms of opportunities.



WSHU,

Ipoh.






funny la WSHU guy...:lol: - i consider this joke of the month

I wonder if he realizes that all of that "recovery" and more can be accomplished by a fast train service....

move more people, less pollution, more local economic effects...

Cheers, m

funny la WSHU guy...:lol: - i consider this joke of the month

yeeeha!! ipoh rox :)

Upgrade Ipoh airport, says Chinese chamber head
Updated : 11-10-2007
Media : The Star


IPOH: The Perak Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry has called on the Government to allocate funds to upgrade the Sultan Azlan Shah Airport.

Chamber president Datuk Lim Kok Cheong said this would allow the airport to serve as an operational centre for domestic and regional airlines.

Once more airlines operate domestic and regional flights from the existing airport, perhaps then the proposed new airport should be built, he said on Tuesday after being sworn in as the chamber's president.

It was reported that the Perak government had decided to build a new RM301mil airport in Seri Iskandar, saying that the new place would have more space.

Many people here believe that the existing airport should be upgraded and its facilities expanded. As it is, the airport is rarely used.

Lim added that it was imperative for the state to enhance the existing logistics to attract local and foreign companies to set up their businesses in Ipoh and flight connections would be vital.

On the Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER), he said that in Perak, only Grik, Krian, Larut and Matang, Selama and Kuala Kangsar benefited.

Other districts and towns such as Kampar, Tapah, Sri Manjung and Ipoh also require rejuvenation and assistance, he said.

The swearing-in ceremony also saw the distribution of RM100,000 to 20 charitable organisations in Perak. The money was raised during the chamber's Centennial Celebrations charity golf event.

Perak Likely To Have World's First Humanitarian Service Airport
October 17, 2007 20:20 PM


IPOH, Oct 17 (Bernama) -- Plans are afoot to build what is touted to be the world's first airport dedicated to providing humanitarian services in Bandar Seri Iskandar, about 40km from here, which is expected to cost RM1 billion.

To be developed by Casa Pasifik Sdn Bhd, the airport will take three years and two months to complete.

Casa Pasifik chairman Datuk Seri Mohd Hilmi Ismail said the facility would serve as a medical training centre, aviation academy and a transit hub for global relief operations. It will also promote health tourism as well as research and development activities.

"We've chosen Bandar Seri Iskandar due to its strategic location, the amount of available land. It also fulfils security requirements. In fact, some parties have asked that the airport be built in their countries," he told reporters here today.

Disaster and war victims from across the globe may also be flown to the airport for medical treatment, he said.

Mohd Hilmi said the company had applied to the Perak state government for 800ha of land to build a 3,760m-long runway to accommodate Boeing 747 aircraft and other related projects.

According to him, Perak State Development Corporation and Casa Pasifik inked a memorandum of understanding on March 20 to signal their commitment for the project.

Mohd Hilmi also said the Civil Aviation Department gave its green light for the project in July.

Casa Pasifik, he said, had secured funding for the airport project and was now awaiting final approval from the Transport Ministry and other relevant authorities.

-- BERNAMA

Airport Terminal building

http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/6744/16102007211ay3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/252/pict0074lg1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Perak Likely To Have World's First Humanitarian Service Airport
October 17, 2007 20:20 PM


IPOH, Oct 17 (Bernama) -- Plans are afoot to build what is touted to be the world's first airport dedicated to providing humanitarian services in Bandar Seri Iskandar, about 40km from here, which is expected to cost RM1 billion.is it possible to build a rail link between the new airport in Seri Iskandar and the Ipoh railway station? And, if this airport is built, what happens to the existing airport? They are saying it cannot be expanded/....

Cheers, m

-edit-

2 projects to boost Perak's economic growth
NST Online » 2007/06/30


IPOH, Sat: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi announced two projects yesterday to boost Perak’s economic growth and assist its return to the glory days when it flourished during the tin mining boom of the 1970s and 1980s.

The projects are to upgrade the Sultan Azlan Shah Airport here and establish a commuter train service between Ipoh and Penang.

Abdullah said the projects would generate more economic activity for the Kinta Valley, especially from the upgrading of the airport, whose runway would be extended to allow for bigger aircraft and more traffic.

"Perak needs better airport facilities so that it will be able to cater to the changes in the economic landscape and boost its growth," he said after a luncheon with state Umno and Barisan Nasional leaders and heads of department at the Impiana Casuarina Hotel yesterday.

Abdullah was on a one-day working visit of Perak. He was accompanied by his wife Datin Seri Jeanne Abdullah.

Abdullah said with the plans for the airport, Firefly, the Malaysia Airlines subsidiary, has agreed to operate flights from the airport to local and regional destinations.

On the commuter train service, Abdullah said it would enable faster access to and from Ipoh and Penang and allow workers to commute between Ipoh and Penang, Seberang Perai and Sungai Petani, Kedah.

Perak Likely To Have World's First Humanitarian Service Airport
October 17, 2007 20:20 PM


IPOH, Oct 17 (Bernama) -- Plans are afoot to build what is touted to be the world's first airport dedicated to providing humanitarian services in Bandar Seri Iskandar, about 40km from here, which is expected to cost RM1 billion.

To be developed by Casa Pasifik Sdn Bhd, the airport will take three years and two months to complete.

Casa Pasifik chairman Datuk Seri Mohd Hilmi Ismail said the facility would serve as a medical training centre, aviation academy and a transit hub for global relief operations. It will also promote health tourism as well as research and development activities.

"We've chosen Bandar Seri Iskandar due to its strategic location, the amount of available land. It also fulfils security requirements. In fact, some parties have asked that the airport be built in their countries," he told reporters here today.

Disaster and war victims from across the globe may also be flown to the airport for medical treatment, he said.

Mohd Hilmi said the company had applied to the Perak state government for 800ha of land to build a 3,760m-long runway to accommodate Boeing 747 aircraft and other related projects.

According to him, Perak State Development Corporation and Casa Pasifik inked a memorandum of understanding on March 20 to signal their commitment for the project.

Mohd Hilmi also said the Civil Aviation Department gave its green light for the project in July.

Casa Pasifik, he said, had secured funding for the airport project and was now awaiting final approval from the Transport Ministry and other relevant authorities.

-- BERNAMA

hmm, I confess, I don't really understand the concept. How is this project going to make $ ?

hmm, I confess, I don't really understand the concept. How is this project going to make $ ?does it have to make $ ? Cheers, m

I think until now we only can see white elephant... Even the comuter train also haven't come... long long long waiting... years and years...

Ipoh airport issue crops up again
Friday July 18, 2008
TheStar

THE long-standing issue of the defunct Sultan Azlan Shah airport in Ipoh cropped up during the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers 40th anniversary dinner.

In his speech, Perak FMM chairman Gan Tack Kong urged the state government to turn the airport into a functional one again.

“I would be failing in my duty if I do not highlight the issue of inadequate logistic facilities in Perak. It requires urgent attention.

“Without a functional airport, it will be difficult to attract investments to the state,” he said.

Gan, who spoke on behalf of some 400 businessmen at the Perak-level celebration dinner, said a recent survey revealed that 58% of people wanted the old airport upgraded, 40% preferred a new one and 2% felt that both options were not viable.

Gan also raised another pressing matter faced by manufacturers nationwide – the escalating rise of operating costs.

“Feedback from our members indicates that their energy costs had increased from a minimum 15% to a high of 130%, drastically eroding or completely wiping out their profit margins,” he said.

Gan also urged the Perak Go-vernment not to abandon the proposed gas pipeline project from Ayer Tawar to Chemor as many companies there were facing a shortage of natural gas.

Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Moha-mmad Nizar Jamaluddin, in his speech, acknowledged the pro-blems faced by manufacturers.

“Big corporations can afford the economic changes but it is a challenge to the small medium enterprises,’’ he said.

He added it was important to figure out a way to ensure the survival of the SMEs as they made up 80% of the state’s manufacturing entities.

On the airport, Nizar said the state was still pursuing the matter with the Transport Ministry and other authorities.

He also gave an assurance that the changes in the state’s administration would not affect the perception of foreign investors on Perak.

“In Perak, the first four months of 2008 saw a total of RM775mil investments approved, of which RM658mil were foreign investments,” he said.

He said that among the foreign projects currently at the planning and implementation levels were the water fabrication project worth RM780mil, solar in-dustry related projects in Seri Iskandar estimated at RM3.3bil and RM0.752bil and the Gulf petroleum oil refinery in Man-jung at RM16bil.

Revitalise Ipoh airport
Tuesday September 9, 2008
By HAH FOONG LIAN
TheStar

THE under-utilised Sultan Azlan Shah Airport in Ipoh should be turned into a hub for short-range travel, Datuk Bandar Roshidi Hashim said.

He made the proposal in his speech when he opened the three-day Perak Matta Travel Fair 2008 at Stadium Indera Mulia in Ipoh recently.

Roshidi said: “I am of the view that the airport should be used for short-range travel such as flying to Phuket if the runway could not be extended.”




http://thestar.com.my/archives/2008/9/9/north/ipoh.jpg

Promoting tourism: Roshidi (left) being introduced to Perak Matta Fair
participants dressed in traditional Chinese and Korean costumes.




He noted that small aircraft could use the airport, which now only serves weekly flights to Medan.

In 2006, low-cost carrier AirAsia stopped flights from Ipoh to Senai, citing the short runway as the reason.

Since then, there have been calls by public interest groups to expand the use of the airport.

Roshidi pointed out that the state government, including the Ipoh City Council, was keen to enhance the use of the airport.

Roshidi noted that tourism was an important economic contributor to the earnings of Ipoh city.

He said that he would be going to Medan, Indonesia, next month to promote Ipoh as a destination although flights from Ipoh to Medan were limited.

“We want to continue to promote Ipoh as an international tourist destination,” he added.

On the travel fair, Roshidi said this year was the sixth Perak Matta Travel Fair to be organised for travellers.

Ipoh airport set for revival with new regional flights
Tuesday May 19, 2009
By SYLVIA LOOI and CLARA CHOOI

IPOH: The under-utilised Sultan Azlan Shah Airport here will be revived again with the introduction of several regional flights.

Transport Minister Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat said the Ipoh-Singapore route had been approved for two airlines; while one airline had been gi**ven the green light for the Ipoh-Medan sector.

“The air rights had been sorted out with the respective countries. The onus is on the airlines concerned on when they will start flying,” said Ong, who is also the MCA president.

Besides the two sectors, the Transport Ministry had also received applications to operate flights from Ipoh to Guangzhou, China.

“It is expected to be approved too. It is up to the respective airlines on the frequency of flights they wish to operate,” he told reporters after opening the MCA 60th anniversary dinner organised by Perak MCA here on Sunday.

Noting that transportation was considered a catalyst for growth, Ong said the Perak MCA was always involved with efforts to boost the economy in the state.

On extending the airport’s runway to accommodate larger planes, Ong said it might involve tedious land acquisitions.

The ministry, he added, was studying the alternative, which was to construct a new airport.

On another matter, Ong said Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) had been instructed to follow up on land swapping with the Perak Government over the case of squatters staying on railway land at Kuala Sepetang and Simpang Halt.

Meanwhile, Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir said the state government was waiting for a response from the Federal Govern**ment to its RM50mil request to extend the airport runway by 200m.

“I have written to the Prime Minister. As this is considered a high-impact project, I expect that he will respond to our request very soon,” he told a press conference after attending the launch of SMK Sultan Azlan Shah religious school’s 25th jubilee celebration yesterday.

Dr Zambry said that the runway extension would finally facilitate the landing of Airbuses at the airport.

On the intention to build a new airport, Dr Zambry said the state had identified two possible sites in Perak Tengah and Lembah Beriah.

Perak mohon RM50 juta panjangkan landasan LTSAS
ARKIB : 19/05/2009

SERI ISKANDAR 18 Mei - Kerajaan Perak memohon peruntukan sebanyak RM50 juta daripada Kerajaan Persekutuan bagi memanjangkan landasan Lapangan Terbang Sultan Azlan Shah (LTSAS) di Ipoh.

Menteri Besar, Datuk Seri Dr. Zambry Abd. Kadir berkata, surat permohonan tersebut telah dihantar kepada Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak baru-baru ini bagi merealisasikan projek berkenaan.

''Saya sudah menulis surat kepada Perdana Menteri memohon peruntukan RM50 juta bagi digunakan untuk projek memanjangkan landasan LTSAS dan berharap beliau dapat meluluskan segera permohonan ini sebaik sahaja menerima surat tersebut.

''Kelulusan itu penting kerana saya anggap projek ini sebagai projek berimpak tinggi yang memerlukan keputusan segera daripada pihak Kerajaan Pusat," katanya.

Beliau berkata demikian ketika ditemui pemberita selepas Majlis Perasmian Sambutan Jubli Perak dan Hari Anugerah Cemerlang Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama Sultan Azlan Shah di sini hari ini.

Zambry berkata, usaha membuka semula LTSAS untuk kemudahan penerbangan sudah dibincangkan dengan Kementerian Pengangkutan termasuk Menterinya, Datuk Ong Tee Keat.

Dalam perbincangan itu, katanya, beberapa cadangan telah dikemukakan dan antaranya ialah mengekalkan LTSAS dengan memanjangkan landasannya sepanjang 200 meter bagi membolehkan penerbangan jenis Airbus mendarat.

Beliau berkata, terdapat juga cadangan membina lapangan terbang baru di lokasi lain kerana projek memanjangkan landasan LTSAS memerlukan perpindahan beberapa rumah penduduk yang tinggal berhampiran.

''Buat masa sekarang, apa perlu dilakukan ialah memanjangkan landasan LTSAS sepanjang 200 meter walaupun kami tahu masalah lokasinya tidak strategik kerana terdapat beberapa rumah berhampiran terlibat dalam projek ini.

''Dalam masa yang sama, kita juga berbincang untuk mencari kawasan baru untuk membina lapangan terbang dan antara lokasi dikenal pasti ialah daerah Perak Tengah dan Lembah Beriah tetapi belum ada keputusan dicapai setakat ini," katanya.

Zambry berkata, beliau sudah mengadakan pertemuan dengan syarikat penerbangan Firefly dan AirAsia memohon kerjasama mengadakan penerbangan dari Ipoh ke Singapura; Guanzhou, China dan Medan, Indonesia dalam usaha menjadikan LTSAS sebagai lapangan terbang bertaraf antarabangsa.

dah tak ada space nak extend, if they really want to extend it will be costly since houses at the end of runway have to be bought, compensation to be paid to the owner, and demolishing those houses will create another problem for the government, bad publicity. So ipoh expansion airport is another make up story from both zambry and nizar...this airport will never expand.

First Firefly aircraft lands in Ipoh after test flight
Sunday June 28, 2009
By CHRISTINA KOH

http://thestar.com.my/archives/2009/6/28/nation/n_16ismail.jpg

Safety briefing: Firefly head of engineering department Ismail Taib (left)
briefing Malaysia Airports Berhad Fire and Rescue personnel on safety aspects
of the aircraft after the test flight at the Sultan Azlan Shah Airport in Ipoh
yesterday.

IPOH: The first Firefly aircraft to arrive here landed safely at the Sultan Azlan Shah Airport after a smooth 45-minute flight.

The 72-seater aircraft, flown by Captains Jalil Md Dom and Mahir Effendy, arrived at 10.55am yesterday after taking off from the Skypark Subang terminal.

The community airline is scheduled to begin its much-anticipated Ipoh-Singapore route on July 12.

FlyFirefly Sdn Bhd media relations executive Herman Mizar Azmi said the test flight was merely a procedural requirement by the Department of Civil Aviation.

“The flight went smoothly. There was no problem because other airlines have served Ipoh before,” he said.

The 80-minute flight between Ipoh and Singapore will be available every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

It departs Ipoh at 4.45pm, arriving at the Changi budget terminal at 6.05pm.

From Singapore, the new 72-seater aircraft takes off at 2.50pm and lands at the Sultan Azlan Shah Airport here at 4.10pm.

Herman Mizar clarified that the all-inclusive promotional fare is currently RM88 one way for those who book between June 24 and July 24.

The promotion covers all routes, he said, including those covering Kuantan and Kuala Terengganu to Singapore. The travel period must be within July 1-31.

“Ipoh is the most popular among the routes, with 70% of seats taken,” said Herman Mizar.

For bookings, check out www.fireflyz.com.my or call 03-7845 4543.

How if Air Asia given green light to operate Ipoh and Kuantan out of SZB ?

Govt agrees to upgrade Ipoh airport
Friday August 14 2009
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com.my/index.php/malaysia/35124-govt-agrees-to-upgrade-ipoh-airport

IPOH, Aug 13 - The government has agreed to upgrade the Sultan Azlan Shah Airport here, at a cost of about RM120 million, Transport Minister Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat said.

He said the upgrading works would cover the terminal building, extension of runway to 2km from the existing 1.8km and the construction of another taxiway.

"The government agrees to upgrade the airport and I hope that it can be implemented as soon as possible," he told reporters after attending a closed-door briefing by airport officials here today.

The Sultan of Perak, Sultan Azlan Shah, and the Raja Muda of Perak, Raja Dr Nazrin Shah, as well as Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir also attended the briefing.

Ong said the decision to upgrade the airport showed the commitment on the part of the government which had earlier given approvals to Malaysia and Singapore airlines to operate the Ipoh-Singapore sector.

Apart from Malaysia's budget carriers of Firefly and AirAsia, Singapore's budget carriers, Tiger Airways and Jetstar Asia Airways, would also operate the route.

He said the upgrading would not involve the relocation of residents in several housing areas near the airport. - Bernama

any update?????

Airport Terminal building

http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/6744/16102007211ay3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/252/pict0074lg1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

peninglah tgk arah kt jalan tu....

-edit-

Article itu hanya tentang kereta api terbaru yang akan di guna untuk EDT project bukan commuter train ke airport la arief! Ya kereta api terbaru tu akan tiba di stesen Ipoh yang baru naik taraf tapi tak kena mengena dengan thread ni pun..untuk di maklum saja :)

ok2..........thnxs........
sy dh edit

Air show at Ipoh airport
New Straits Times 2009/10/23


KUALA LUMPUR: The Sultan Azlan Shah Airport in Ipoh will host an aviation event from today till Sunday.

The National Sport Aviation Fiesta 2009 (Nasaf '09) will see flights of paramotors, precision parachute jumping, fly-pasts by light aircraft and helicopters, remote-controlled aircraft, joy rides and a host of other related activities.

The event is mainly a competition among aviation enthusiasts and will serve as a selection round for Malaysian "aviation sportsmen" to the prestigious World Air Games in 2011.

Nasaf '09 chief technical secretary Rohaizi Md Hussein said the event was being held for the first time with the support of various government agencies.


"We are happy to be able to hold this event and Nasaf will be an annual event. It is the ultimate platform for sports aviation aimed at producing 'aviation athletes' in the sport aviation arena."

Entrance is free.

RM60mil approved to upgrade Sultan Azlan Shah airport


IPOH: Work on extending the Sultan Azlan Shah Airport runway and upgrading the terminal building will start next year.

Second Finance Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah said the Cabinet had approved RM60mil for the two projects.

He said the runway could now be extended by 200m from the present 1.8km apart from the airport terminal being upgraded.

This would allow the airport to attract more budget airlines within Asean to fly there, he said.

Currently, only Firefly offers flights from here to Singapore daily.

"Our surveys showed that Perak hold immerse potential as a tourist destination.

"With the extension, we hope other budget airlines will be attracted to use the airport," said Ahmad Husni Saturday.

Speaking to reporters after a ground-breaking ceremony for a market at the Tanah Hitam New Village in Chemor near here, Ahmad Husni, who is also Tambun MP, said work on extending and upgrading the airport would start next year.

On another matter, Ahmad Husni said elected representatives had also been roped in to ensure projects under Budget 2010 were carried out.

"The Yang Berhormats can also write to the Prime Minister or the Deputy Prime Minister if projects in their area are facing problems," he said.

Najib was reported to have asked his ministers to closely monitor projects under Budget 2010.

The Prime Minister wants the 160 projects listed to start according to schedule as this was the commitment given by the Government to the rakyat.

Information and Communications Technology to power Perak's growth
BERNAMA, 20 November 2009

HANOI: Perak state government-appointed ICT facilitator, KPerak Implementation and Coordination (INC) Corporation aims to transform the state into a knowledge economy by 2015, with Information and Communications Technology (ICT) as major contributor to economic growth.

Datuk Chang Ko Youn, Adviser to Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir, said substantial investments are needed to enable Perak to woo foreign direct investments to knowledge industries.

In this respect, he said, investments to transform the Ipoh Airport into an international hub, particularly for Southeast Asian destinations, will play a pivotal role towards achieving the goal for the state to be the preferred ICT investment destination.

"We have received RM60 million from the federal government to upgrade Ipoh Airport and another RM90 million is needed to turn the airport into an international airport ," he told BERNAMA after the official launch of Walter Rhodes BPO Solutions Sdn Bhd, a newly set up second international SSO (Shared Services and Outsourcing) hub in Hanoi.

Walter Rhodes BPO Solutions is a joint venture between Malaysia-based Walter Rhodes Sdn Bhd and KPerak Implementation and Coordination Corporation.

Chang said the Ipoh Airport was already operating flights to Singapore and Medan and there are plans for it to expand into other Southeast Asian routes.

In realising the goal to transform Perak into a knowledge economy, Chang said there was a need for the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) Malaysia Cybercentre in Meru Raya to find its niche market that complements MSC status centres in Cyberjaya.

On other infrastructures, he said, Ipoh already has excellent facilities such as roads with good connections to major highways and broadband connectivity on par with Kuala Lumpur City.

With these facilities in place, Perak has the attributes to be a global outsourcing centre or SSO hub.

Chang said through a collaboration between KPerak Implementation and Coordination Corporation and Walter Rhodes, a global SSO hub was established in Perak Techno Trade Centre known as the Walter Rhodes Global SSO Centre.

The Walter Rhodes Global SSO Centre serves as a regional outsourcing hub for technology companies to run outsourcing operations for their respective products and services such as payroll and human resource outsourcing, security monitoring and audit, IT support services, web hosting and e-learning.

Chang said the Perak Government is also enthusiastic about working together with other foreign governments to develop SSO industry through strategic overseas marketing missions with Walter Rhodes.

Through the establishment of the Walter Rhodes BPO Solutions Sdn Bhd SSO hub in Hanoi, he said the state government was keen on working together with the Hanoi authorities.

The Global SSO Centre in Hanoi is a joint initiative between Walter Rhodes and Hanel Communications, one of the largest ICT corporations in Hanoi.

"THe Hanel-Walter Rhodes Global SSO centre provides local companies affordable solutions for the various business aspects required for enhanced productivity," he said.

The Perak state government is committed to supporting the Hanel-Walter Rhodes Global SSO initiative, he added. - Bernama

Build new airport lah......

Silverfly airline (Silverfly Sdn Bhd) operates from Ipoh (Sultan Azlan Shah Airport) and currently this airline make a partnership with Riau Airlines for Ipoh - Medan - Ipoh Sector. This airline will expanding in near future will purchase aircrafts which might included Airbus A320, ATR72 and a corporate jet. This airline belongs to Malaysian and based in Ipoh. Most of flight operations, they're making partnership with Riau Airlines. In future Silverfly planning to expand for route Ipoh-Kota Bharu, Ipoh-Langkawi, Ipoh-Kota Kinabalu, Ipoh-Labuan and Ipoh-Kuching. By yesterday, Silverfly ATR72 already make first landing at Sultan Ismail Petra Airport Kota Bharu.

Another new low cost carrier, Silverfly Sdn Bhd with the cooperation of Riau Airlines is expected to make its maiden flight serving the Ipoh-Medan-Ipoh route beginning this September 9.

Datuk Bandar of Ipoh, Datuk Roshidi Hashim in announcing this, said that the air service was a proactive move taken by the state government to bring about benefits and facilities to the people in the state.

“The Silverfly air services will certainly bring a lot of benefits for the people as it involves three flights weekly, namely Monday, Friday and Sunday,” he told reporters after officiating the MATTA Perak Travel Fair 2009 here Friday.

He earlier witnessed the signing of a joint flight service agreement between Silverfly and Riau Airlines.

Roshidi said the the flights will also activate the Sultan Azlan Shah Airport here and promote tourism activities between the two countries.

Meanwhile the Regional Manager of Silverfly Sdn Bhd, Eddy Azuan Sidik, said that the flights will cost RM369 for a two-way trip and RM259 for one way travel.

The airline will be using the Fokker-50 which has a 48-passenger capacity, while the flight from Ipoh to Medan has been scheduled at 12.30 pm.

Source: Bernama

Another new low cost carrier, Silverfly Sdn Bhd with the cooperation of Riau Airlines is expected to make its maiden flight serving the Ipoh-Medan-Ipoh route beginning this September 9.

Meanwhile the Regional Manager of Silverfly Sdn Bhd, Eddy Azuan Sidik, said that the flights will cost RM369 for a two-way trip and RM259 for one way travel.

The airline will be using the Fokker-50 which has a 48-passenger capacity, while the flight from Ipoh to Medan has been scheduled at 12.30 pm.

Source: Bernama (http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsindex.php?id=434755)First Firefly, now Silverfly? Goldenfly, Waterfly, Superfly also can?

Cheers, m