JERAI: Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor has claimed that the approval for Penang International Airport (PIA) expansion project is a gift to DAP for supporting Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's appointment as the 10th prime minister.

Sanusi claimed that all projects approved by the unity government for Penang were done as a token of appreciation by Anwar to DAP for supporting him.

"The Penang International Airport expansion is a special project to Penang as a sign of appreciation to DAP for supporting Anwar's appointment as the prime minister.

"That is the fact in Malaysian politics, we are unlike other countries. Perhaps our politics is so backwards," he told reporters after launching the harvesting of the padi seeds project by Kedah Zakat Tithe Board (LNZK) at the agency's Smart Large Scale Padi Farming (Smart SBB) for Asnaf site in Batu 17, Yan here today.

Present were State Secretary Datuk Seri Norizan Khazali and LNZK chief executive officer Datuk Zakaria Othman.

Sanusi, who is also national Perikatan Nasional election director, was commenting on Anwar's announcement on the PIA expansion project when presenting the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP) mid-term review in parliament on Monday.

The PIA expansion is one of the 10 new transportation projects nationwide that have been included in the 12MP mid-term review.

Besides the PIA expansion, the federal government has also approved the Penang light rail transit (LRT) project.

Anwar was reported as saying that the government emphasised the development of sustainable and resilient transport and logistics infrastructure.

Sanusi's administration has been calling for the federal government to approve the proposed Kulim International Airport (KXP) project.

KXP is one of the components of a RM7 billion mega Kedah Aerotropolis project to be developed through a private-funding initiative.

Earlier today, Pagoh member of parliament Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin claimed that the PIA expansion and Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport redevelopment projects were a manifestation of discrimination against states ruled by the opposition.

Muhyiddin, who is also Perikatan Nasional, made the claim while debating the 12MP mid-term review in Parliament today.

https://www.nst.com.my/news/politics/2023/09/954969/penang-intl-airport-expansion-gifted-dap-supporting-anwar-pm