Berjaya Air (J8, Kuala Lumpur Subang) parent firm, Berjaya Group, is planning to build an airport in Tioman, Pahang, Group executive chairman Vincent Tan has said.
According to The New Straits Times newspaper, Tan said a proposal for the MYR1.2 billion ringgit (USD302 million) project would shortly be submitted to government for consideration. Financing will come from the group's internal resources and through loans.
“We understand that the present situation of the government is not so good, so we are ready to find partners and privatise the project so that the government does not have to pay it,” he said adding that the proposed airport would be managed by the government if it is approved.
The group intends to use the facility to boost tourist numbers to its Tioman resorts and would likely develop the airport into a key base for its resurgent Berjaya Air carrier which recently took delivery of its first ATR42-500.
In 2003, the government intended to build a MYR120 million airport in Kampung Paya which would have featured a 2,000m x 45m runway capable of accommodating B737 aircraft. However, the project was abandoned in 2009 on the basis of environmental concerns.
As it stands, the current aerodome at Tioman sees only charter passenger traffic. Berjaya Air last served the island regularly with scheduled services in 2011.
