GEORGE TOWN, July 25 — A short term solution to reduce congestion at the Penang International Airport (PIA) by optimising the terminals will be implemented and completed by February 2019, Penang chief minister Chow Kon Yeow said.

The Penang lawmaker said Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) is now in the process of preparing tender documents to appoint contractors for terminal optimisation works.

“This is a short-term measure to reduce congestion at the airport during peak hours and this is expected to be completed by February 2019,” he said.

Chow said PIA was designed to accommodate up to 6.5 million passengers each year but it recorded 7.2 million passengers last year.

“The airport sees an increase of about 10 per cent passengers each year so we need to expand its capacity soon to cater to the increasing number of passengers,” he said.

Chow, who is Tanjung MP, submitted an oral question in Parliament regarding the PIA expansion and the reply stated that the Transport Ministry, through MAHB, is planning the terminal optimisation first.

The project involves shifting ticketing counters, expanding check-in counters and relocating the baggage reclaim carousel.

In the reply, it was stated that MAHB will expand the airport capacity to 12 million passengers per annum and is now in the process of appointing a consultant through open tender.

The cost of the expansion project is dependent on detailed studies which will be undertaken by the consultant.

Chow hopes MAHB will work closely with the Penang state government on the airport expansion project.

He said MAHB needs to engage stakeholders on the planning and implementation of the project.

He said Penang Development Corporation (PDC) has acquired lands around PIA so they are also stakeholders who should be consulted on the expansion project.

“All state agencies will cooperate and work closely with MAHB and the ministry in this project as we urgently needed the expansion,” he said.

He said the state government will be keeping a close eye on the terminal optimisation and expansion projects.