Goh urges airport authorities to upgrade Tawau Airport facilities

25 August 2024

KOTA KINABALU: The Federal government and airport authorities must address the significant shortcomings in facilities at Tawau Airport.

These inadequacies have been causing considerable inconvenience and dissatisfaction for both domestic and international travelers, said Tan Sri T.C. Goh, President of the Federation of Chinese Associations Malaysia (Huazong) and the Federation of Chinese Associations Sabah (FCAS).

The lack of adequate facilities has resulted in long queues at check-in counters, leading to many passengers missing their flights.

Goh commended the Sabah State government's ongoing efforts to promote tourism, particularly among Chinese visitors.

He highlighted a milestone achievement: since May of this year, Tawau Airport welcomed its first direct flight from China, marking a promising start for tourism in Tawau and Semporna.

This breakthrough has paved the way for additional direct flights from China, further increasing the volume of travel alongside existing domestic and inter-state flights. Consequently, these developments have contributed to the airport's current overcrowding and operational challenges.

He emphasised that the Federal Government, particularly the airport management company, must ensure that Tawau Airport is equipped with adequate facilities to support the growth of Sabah's tourism industry.

He voiced his support for the disappointment expressed by Sabah's Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Environment, Datuk Christina Liew, regarding the ongoing issues at Tawau Airport.

He fully endorsed her suggestion that if the airport management company is unable to manage Tawau Airport effectively, the Sabah State Government should consider taking over its operations to improve management.

He urged the Federal Government to engage in prompt dialogue with the Sabah State Government and relevant agencies to gain a comprehensive understanding of the issues at hand.

He believes that collaboration is essential for effectively resolving these challenges, which he sees as the most constructive path forward.

Goh, who is also a member of the Sabah Economic Advisory Council (SEAC) made these remarks on Friday, during the 30th-anniversary celebration and the swearing-in ceremony of the 14th Central Committee and various committees of the FCAS, at the Wisma Hakka’s Banquet Hall.

The event was attended by guest of honour, Datuk Seri Panglima Hajiji Noor, who was represented by Datuk Phoong Jin Zhe, Minister of Industrial Development & Entrepreneurship Sabah (MIDE), special guest Tan Sri Pheng Yin Huah who is also Honorary Life President of Huazong, FCAS Supervisory Chairman Datuk Nancy Ho, and Deputy President Datuk Susan Wong Siew Guen, among others.

Goh pointed out that with the direct flights from Shenzhen, Nanjing, Macau, and Chengdu to Tawau, the airport authorities should have taken proactive measures long ago.

"As an important gateway to the east coast of Sabah, Tawau Airport should significantly upgrade its facilities and manpower, enhance service efficiency, including training ground staff or officers who can speak Chinese to communicate more effectively with Chinese tourists."

“Especially now that the airport has international direct flights, I call on the Federal Government to immediately allocate funds to upgrade Tawau Airport, including considering providing some duty-free allowances for incoming international tourists, equivalent to those at international airports, to prevent the recent incident of 'wrongful tariff collection' at Tawau Airport from happening again,” he said.

He highlighted that Tawau Airport currently handles 115 flights per week, with a capacity of 20,200 seats, including 58 flights to and from Kuala Lumpur, 4 direct flights to Johor Bahru, and 46 flights to and from Kota Kinabalu.

Between January and June this year, there were 32 chartered direct flights from China to Tawau, including 20 from Nanjing and 12 from Guangzhou, with flights also connecting Tawau directly to Macau, Guangzhou, Chengdu, and Nanjing.

"This clearly illustrates the busy and highly congested state of Tawau Airport," he stated.

He further pointed out that the situation has been particularly severe this month, leading to numerous instances of congestion.

Some passengers missed their flights, while others spent up to two hours just to enter the departure hall. Many were forced to sit on the floor due to a lack of seating, and complaints about the poor attitude of ground staff contributed to significant dissatisfaction among travelers.

He expressed hope that the Federal Government, through the airport management authorities, will promptly intervene to address these issues. He urged for improvements in airport facilities, manpower, and security services to ensure that both domestic and international passengers no longer have to endure long queues.