SIBU, June 16 — Another wish of the people of Mukah to see continued progress in the fishing town will come true when the new airport, which was built in 2017, officially starts operating tomorrow.
Transport Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong said the first arrival would see MASwings flight MH3553 DHC6 Vikings from Miri at 9.10 am and the first departure will be of flight MH3412 to Kuching at 9.30 am.
“Construction of the airport at a new location seven km from Mukah city centre began on Aug 11, 2017 to replace the STOLport Mukah with a capacity of 265,000 passengers a year,” he said in a statement here.
He said the airport was equipped with, among others, a new terminal building measuring 3,125 square metres, a runway spanning 1,500 metres long and 30 metres wide, a wind monitoring system and runway visibility, a radio navigation system and a medium approach lighting system.
“The New Mukah Airport is designed to provide comfort and meets the needs of the people of Mukah using rural air services, which is the hub of movement of passengers and goods in the area,” he said.
Wee said the new airport would complement the development under the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE) by facilitating the movement of the trade sector and export of local products in the Mukah district.
“The new Mukah Airport will also support the development of the Mukah district as an education hub, research centre and activities in the Matadeng Industrial Park,” he said.
He also hoped that the operation of the airport would further facilitate easy access to the supply of COVID-19 vaccine to rural areas and further realise the Government’s intention in achieving herd immunity through the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme.
Sources: BERNAMA