Outgoing Transport Minister Dr Ling Liong Sik has denied any knowledge of a proposal by a Kuala Lumpur-based company to build a RM10-20 billion floating metropolis, including a state-of-the-art international airport with two runways of two to three kilometers long each, off Tioman island in Pahang.

Speaking to reporters at the end of a two-day visit to Sarawak yesterday afternoon at the Kuching International Airport (KIA), Ling sounded surprised when told of such a proposal by Joharbaru Corporation Berhad, a Bumiputra company whose address is in Taman Setiawangsa, Kuala Lumpur.

"A floating airport? Is it possible?" was Ling's immediate reaction when asked to comment if such a proposal had received government approval.

Recently, a group of travel writers visiting the islands off Mersing, Johor was briefed by Joharbaru Corporation Berhad executive chairman Ismail Mohd Said on the proposed development of the Tioman Island Free Trade Area and Special Economic Corridor (Tifta-Secor).

The briefing, also for a group of tour operators/travel agents from Singapore and Malaysia, took place at Nadias Inn Comfort, Pulau Tinggi.

To handle 60 Boeing 747s

The proposal which Ismail claimed had already received the blessings of the Federal Government involved industrial development plans for some of the East Coast districts, improvement in maritime transportation, the commercial development of Tioman as a duty-free island, manpower training of indigenous island people, and a floating metropolis, including a new airport off Tioman.

According to Ismail, the development of the proposed floating metropolis would incorporate an airport with capacity to handle 60 B747s and a shopping terminal with 500 acres of commercial areas to be occupied by banks, businesses, travel agencies and entertainment, including possibly casinos.

He estimated the development cost to be between RM10 million and RM20 billion, describing the project as similar to Singapore's Suntech City, among others.

He added that the prospective investors from abroad had been identified from which much of the funding was expected to come.

Time frame

He projected a time frame of between 10 and 15 years for the development of the project, with initial ground work on some of the catalyst projects defined within the Tifta-Secor commencing within the next three to four years.

Ismail said the cabinet had, during a meeting in May, approved the perspective plan.

At KIA yesterday, Ling announced that the contract for the multi-million upgrading works on KIA has been awarded to Global Upline Sdn Bhd, a company controlled by Sarawak businessman Ting Pek Khiing.

The minister did not indicate the project cost except to say that price negotiation was reaching the final stage of conclusion.

But malaysiakini understands that the project cost is likely to be between RM750 million and RM800 million, making it one of the most expensive upgrading works on any airport in Malaysia.

TONY THIEN is malaysiakini correspondent in Kuching, Sarawak