A BN representative has warned the Kedah and Penang chief ministers against indulging in brinkmanship in wanting to build the northern region’s biggest international airport.

Penang BN chairperson Teng Chang Yeow rapped both Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng's proposal for Penang’s international airport to have two runways and Kedah menteri besar Mukhriz Mahathir’s idea for a new international airport in Kedah.

"The Kedah government’s proposal lacks the facts and figures needed to justify a new international airport for the state.

"The response to the Kedah proposal by the Pakatan-led Penang government is even worse as it’s just a political statement meant to stroke the emotions of the people of Penang,," Teng ( left ) said in a press statement today.

Teng said he was worried that if the country’s northern region had two international airports, one of them may end up closing eventually.

"The Penang BN administration put up a strong argument against the relocation of Penang’s Bayan Lepas international airport in the 1990’s when there was a proposal to build an international airport near Sungai Petani, Kedah through reclamation.

"The objection together with an expansion plan of the Bayan Lepas international airport was submitted to the federal government."

'Two runways'?

Teng questioned why Pakatan’s Penang government wanted the Penang airport to have two runways similar to Kedah’s new proposed airport.

"The passenger movement at the Penang international airport is only 10 percent of major airports in the region such as at Hong Kong, Singapore and Bangkok. Those airports have two runways each.

"Even one of the world’s busiest airports, Heathrow in London has only two runways. Based on passenger traffic, the Penang International Airport cannot justify its need for a second runway," Teng pointed out.

He also noted that Kedah was already being served by two airports - the Sultan Abdul Halim airport in Alor Setar and Langkawi International Airport. They handled 535,000 and 1.95 million passengers respectively in 2013, much less than PIA's 5.5 million.

'Not feasible'

The verbal jousting over airports was triggered last week when Mukhriz revealed that he had offered the federal government 600 hectares of land for a proposed international airport in Kulim which was also to have two runways.

Lim said the idea of having a new international airport in Kulim raised many questions as it was so near to Penang making it neither economically feasible or justifiable.

Penang Umno liaison chief Zainal Abidin Osman then said the Penang government should not feel threatened over Kedah’s plan.

He claimed the proposed Kulim airport would not only benefit Kedah but also positively impact three districts in Penang and northern Perak.