Pm Has Royal Audience After Kedah Ruler Speaks Up On Kulim Airport

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Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim made a quick visit to Kedah last night for an audience with Sultan Sallehuddin Sultan Badlishah.
Details of the meeting have not been released, but it came two days after the state ruler urged the government to reconsider its stance on the Kulim International Airport (KXP) project.
Sultan Sallehuddin had on Sunday - while officiating the first sitting of the Kedah state legislature for the year - said the project could be an economic game changer to Kedah and that Putrajaya should give it due consideration.
KXP is part of the Kedah Aerotropolis megaproject - which includes a maintenance and service hub - that the state government said would be privately funded.
However, there have been multiple roadblocks along the way.
Anwar told Parliament that even without federal monies involved, spending as large as RM7 billion would still need to be scrutinised by the Economic Planning Unit, Finance Ministry, and Transport Ministry.
Kedah ruler Sultan Sallehuddin Sultan BadlishahHe also said a major proposed backer - tycoon Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary - was not ready to take on the project.
However, Kedah Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor said other funders could be chosen.
It is not clear whether Anwar's visit to Kedah last night was planned or impromptu.
Sanusi was not at the Sultan Abdul Halim airport in Kepala Batas to receive the premier.
Instead, Anwar was received by Kedah police chief Wan Hassan Wan Ahmad and state mufti Sheikh Fadzil Awang.
After his audience with Sultan Sallehuddin at the Istana Anak Bukit, the premier and his delegation visited the tomb of Sultan Abdul Hamid before returning to Kuala Lumpur.
Prior to his Kedah visit, Anwar had met with Terengganu Menteri Besar Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar in Putrajaya.
Samsuri, in a Facebook post yesterday, said the two had an open and positive discussion on state-federal matters, poverty eradication, development, and finance, among others. - Mkini

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