Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) is confident its new low-cost carrier terminal complex will be completed by 2012.

MAHB chief Bashir Ahmad admitted there is a "slight delay" in earthworks for the runway of the new terminal, dubbed KLIA2, but gave an assurance that construction of the terminal complex will be completed by April 2012 as targetted.

"Earthworks (for the runway) have taken a bit longer, but the project team is working very closely with the contractor to try to find ways to expedite the work rate.

"At this point of time we know for sure it's delayed... By how much it is delayed we will know very soon, but it will not be too much," he said.

Bashir said this at a press conference after the new terminal's official ground breaking ceremony by Premier Najib Abdul Razak at the KL International Airport today.

He was however non-committal on when they estimate the new terminal will be fully operational.

He said they expect the runway to be completed within "two or three months" after the terminal complex is up, but would not give any date.

Bashir also refused to reveal how much they estimate the entire project will cost, saying that they are still in the process of finalising several tenders out of the 40 packages in total issued on open tender.

He said the remaining tenders were "minor", but again refused to go into details.

Bashir did admit that most of the major works tenders have been awarded.

Earlier media reports estimated that KLIA2 will cost the government an estimated RM2 billion.

When completed, KLIA2 will have a built-up area of 237,132 square metres, capable of handling 30 million passengers annually.

airport low cost carrier terminal malaysia lcct The new terminal will be around four times larger than the current LCCT, which has a built-up area of roughly 60,000 square metres catering to 15 million passengers annually.

Bashir said they expect the new terminal to hit its passenger capacity by 2014, making it the largest low-cost carrier terminal in the world.

A transport hub will be built in tandem with the terminal complex, which will provide not only bus and taxi services but also Express Rail Link (ERL) services.