Kelantan: The Regent of Kelantan, Tengku Muhammad Fakhry Petra, today expressed appreciation and welcomed continued efforts by the Federal Government to strengthen the national economy, saying such initiatives have also brought tangible benefits to the state.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the Regent conveyed his highest appreciation and gratitude to the federal government, especially the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, for the strategic collaboration with the state government. This collaboration has contributed to the successful implementation of various development projects in Kelantan. He made these remarks in his royal address at the opening of the first meeting of the fourth session of the 15th State Legislative Assembly.
The Regent also highlighted the completion and operation of the upgraded Sultan Ismail Petra Airport (LTSIP). He expressed hope that federal-state cooperation would continue, particularly through projects like Kota Bharu Sentral, which will be integrated with the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) to serve as a modern transit hub and economic catalyst.
Last Saturday, Prime Minister Anwar officiated the airport's new terminal, which is positioned as a potential regional hub, including for southern Thailand. The facility now boasts over 20 check-in counters, a multi-storey car park, dedicated taxi lanes, a fire and rescue station, expanded aircraft bays, and a cashless operating system. The airport's capacity is expected to rise to four million passengers annually, up from 1.5 million, with the terminal expanded from 12,000 to 36,000 square metres.
The upgrades include a redesigned layout to separate departure and arrival areas to ease congestion, while aircraft parking bays have increased to 11 from five. Parking capacity has also been expanded to about 1,300 spaces from 350, all expected to improve passenger flow, particularly during peak travel periods such as Aidilfitri.
The Regent further added that infrastructure in Kelantan still requires continued improvement to remain competitive with other states and called for ongoing federal involvement in planning and implementation. He emphasized that comprehensive infrastructure development will serve as a catalyst for further growth and future development planning.