Terengganu to have international aviation hub, 29 October 2007

Monday October 29, 2007
Terengganu to have international aviation hub
By R.S.N MURALI


KUALA TERENGGANU: The Sultan Mahmud Airport here will be elevated to an international aviation hub to complement the vigorous development programme under East Coast Economic Region (ECER).

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who announced the elevation of the airport status, said this would enable Terengganu to become the gateway to the ECER as well as a major tourism and education hub.

"Although the Sultan Mahmud airport will be the gateway for the ECER, the airports in Kota Baru and Kuantan will be also upgraded to improve," he said at the launching of the ECER at Batu Burok here, on Monday.

Abdullah said the Sultan Mahmud airport was undergoing renovation at a cost of RM123mil and would also see an extension to its runway to enable bigger aircrafts to land.

Abdullah also unveiled several ECER goodies for Terengganu including the Kuala Terengganu City Centre (KTCC) to transform this sleepy hallow into a high impact urban development to signify the town's multi modal role as tourism and investment gateway.

The Prime Minister also announced that Kuala Terengganu would be turned into an ICT nerve centre for ECER with the establishment of the International Business Exchange in Bukit Rakit and the setting up of a global animation hub to create high-end programmes for Hollywood, Korean, Japanese and local production houses.

Terengganu will also become the region's educational hub with the establishment of the 283ha Taman Ilmu (Knowledge Park) that will house six universities and several industrial training centres.