Oleh/By : DATO' SERI DR. MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMAD
Tempat/Venue : SEPANG, SELANGOR
Tarikh/Date : 27/03/95
Tajuk/Title : UPACARA MEMECAH TANAH PAKEJ 1 :
BANGUNAN TERMINAL PENUMPANG
CONTACT PIER
Terlebih dahulu saya mengucapkan terima kasih kepada
pihak Kuala Lumpur International Airport Berhad kerana
menjemput saya untuk melakukan upacara memecah tanah bagi
kontrak Pakej 1: Pembinaan Bangunan Utama Terminal
Penumpang, `Contact Pier' dan `Baggage Handling System' pada
hari ini. Saya difahamkan bahawa pakej ini merupakan
kontrak yang terbesar daripada 56 pakej yang akan
dilaksanakan di bawah projek Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa
Kuala Lumpur di Sepang. Pakej ini juga merupakan salah satu
daripada kontrak yang terbesar yang pernah dilaksanakan oleh
Kerajaan di bawah projek-projek infrastruktur. Oleh itu
upacara hari ini sungguh bermakna di dalam usaha Kerajaan
untuk memajukan lagi sektor infrastruktur di negara ini.
2. I am deeply honoured to be here today to officiate at
the ground breaking ceremony for Package One comprising the
Passenger Terminal Complex, Contact Pier and Baggage
Handling System.
3. Malaysia has embarked on a programme of development of
major infrastructures designed to accelerate the pace of
economic growth as well as to propel the nation towards its
stated aim of achieving developed nation status by the year
2020. The construction of the new Kuala Lumpur
International Airport (KLIA) at Sepang is part of the
Government's commitment to develop its infrastructure as an
essential element of the modernisation and planned
development of the nation. KLIA is designed to be an
efficient, competitive and world-class hub airport for the
Asia Pacific region. When the KLIA is completed by the end
of 1997, it will replace the Subang International Airport as
the main gateway to the nation.
4. During the past two decades, the Asia Pacific region
has emerged as the most dynamic and fastest growing area in
terms of economic performance. Malaysia itself has
experienced tremendous economic growth. In 1994 Malaysia's
real GDP grew at 8.7 per cent, maintaining the high growth
path of an average of over eight per cent for seven
consecutive years. This has been accomplished against a
background of low inflation and prudent fiscal management,
and all indications are that the economy can expand at eight
per cent or higher this year.
5. The aviation industry in the Asia-Pacific region has
similarly achieved a rate of growth significantly far higher
than that in the rest of the world. Based on the traffic
forecasts by International Civil Aviation Organisation
(ICAO) and International Air Transport Association (IATA)
the Asia Pacific region will continue to record impressive
growth rates in the next two decades. It is anticipated
that by the year 2010 airlines of this region will account
for 51 per cent of scheduled international air traffic.
Passenger traffic throughput at Subang International Airport
over the last five years has been phenomenal, experiencing
an average growth rate of about 14 per cent per annum. For
the year 1994 passenger movements totalled 11.3 million
while the cargo movements handled by Subang International
Airport totalled 252.6 thousand tonnes.
6. The construction of the new KLIA is in response to the
increasing strain and pressure on the ability of the Subang
International Airport to handle the increase in passenger
and cargo traffic. Apart from fulfilling the objective of
building an efficient, competitive and aesthetically
attractive airport which would serve as a hub for the
region, it is also the government's intention that the new
airport be constructed in the most cost-effective manner
consistent with achievement of the operating standards
expected of a major international airport.
7. I wish to take this opportunity to congratulate all the
contractors who have been successful in securing contracts
related to the development of KLIA. As I have said this is
one of our largest infrastructure projects and its timely
completion is of paramount importance. We are very
concerned about delays in the implementation of critical
development projects which, apart from not meeting planned
schedules, also inevitably incur substantial cost overruns.
I need not emphasise the importance of ensuring that this
project be completed on time as scheduled and within the
budgetted cost. The Government will not entertain any
unwarranted delays or cost overruns in the implementation of
this project.
8. The development of this mega project would provide
ample opportunities for both the Malaysian consultants and
contractors to be directly involved in the construction of
this new Airport. It is incumbent upon all parties
concerned to ensure that no effort is spared to accelerate
the process of transfering of technology and management
expertise from foreign consultants and contractors to their
Malaysian counterparts. The transfer should not be limited
to any narrow segment of technical management skills but
should encompass all levels, thus ensuring the worthwhile
transfer of technology.
9. Every opportunity should also be given to Bumiputra
contractors, sub-contractors and suppliers to actively
participate and be directly involved in the construction of
this new Airport. It is the government's hope that upon the
successful completion of the project in 1997 we will be
successful in building up a reservoir of expertise of local
professionals, technical personnel and established
contractors who will play a leading role to strengthen
further the Malaysianconstruction i ndustry. I am
confident that this can be achieved with the cooperation of
all parties concerned.
10. The Government's decision to build a new airport at an
alternative site was not only to accommodate the rapid
increase in both passenger and cargo movements but also to
create a new growth centre. The KLIA is expected to become
a major regional gateway, offering direct services to all
major cities in the world. As a major passenger and cargo
centre, as well as being the national gateway for
international trade and commerce, the Airport will be
instrumental in attracting foreign and local investment and
business to this new metropolitan region. Apart from
reducing the congestion in the federal capital of Kuala
Lumpur, the planning and development of Putra Jaya, the new
administrative capital and the surrounding areas in close
proximity to the new KLIA, will see significant changes
taking place. Both the new KLIA and the new township of
Putra Jaya will encompass features friendly to the
environment while being equipped with the latest information
technology. It is envisaged that the new Airport and the
new intelligent township will be linked with Kuala Lumpur
and other parts of the country by an excellent road system,
high speed railway and information highway.
11. The new Airport will present a distinctive airport
architecture incorporating the theme of symbiosis of high
technology with Malaysian identity leading to the
incorporation of forms and systems suggesting advancement
and modernisation without negating Malaysia's cultural
history. To reinforce a sense of pride and of local
identity, the Airport's landscaping will use native
Malaysian plant species to create a typically Malaysian
environment generating ideas of an `airport in the forest',
thus evoking `Malaysian' and `tropical greenery' to visitors
and `home' to returning Malaysians.
12. The total Airport Management Systems (TAMS) to be
implemented at the new KLIA is a very sophisticated and
complex system that interfaces and integrates the various
electronics systems within the airport environment. Though
the TAMS systems to be implemented at KLIA is not the first
airport management system in this region, however, the
quantity of electronics systems and local area networks
interfaced to TAMS, and their level of integration with each
other through the TAMS, would put the KLIA in the forefront
in the field of airport management systems.
13. Malaysia is not alone in embarking on the development
of a new airport in this region. To meet the challenges of
increased cargo and passenger traffic, airports all over the
would are upgrading and expanding old and existing airports
and building new terminals and new airports. Airport
developments in Asia abound with projects on line or in the
planning stage in several countries including Japan,
Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, Indonesia, China and India.
It is, therefore, imperative that apart from the business of
building a new airport, steps must also be taken to develop
the KLIA as an efficient regional hub able to compete
effectively with the other airports in the region.
14. While the responsibility for implementing policies that
would contribute to the success of KLIA lies with a wide
range of agencies, the major role of the airport operator
and national airline cannot be understated. The economic
cost of inefficient and ineffective management of airports
can be detrimental to the success of KLIA as a regional hub.
15. It is crucial that the Airport should be operated with
the concept of hub operations involving the provision of a
wide range of facilities and systems which permit the rapid
and efficient transfer of passengers and their baggage. To
maintain the edge over other airports in the region, it is
essential to develop specific niche marketing strategies for
the promotion of the new KLIA as both a passenger and cargo
hub. Until and unless we develop a competitive edge over
the other airports in the region, we will be left far behind
in our pursuit to develop KLIA as a regional hub.
16. The operations and management of a mega airport like
KLIA will require a large pool of experienced managers and
staff of all categories who should have the knowledge,
skills and right attitude for the job. Without proper
manpower planning there is always the fear that despite
designing and building the best airport it could still be
fraught with operational problems. It is therefore
important that we develop our manpower requirements to
ensure that we have a sufficiently trained personnel at all
levels to manage efficiently the new Airport.
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