By Norrasyidah Arshad
SHAH ALAM, Feb 3 — The aerospace industry is a new investment sector for the Selangor government in its bid to raise the economic standing of the state, says state executive councillor for investment Dato’ Teng Chang Khim.
Teng said Selangor has the leverage to develop the sector seeing that the state has two major airports — the Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang and the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Subang.
“We see this field as having the potential to build a designated aviation centre, fully equipped with maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) capabilities to offer services for the whole world.
“Studies have been done. With the resurrection of the Asian economy, private jets will increase. So, we already have airport facilities and experienced technical expertise which are capable of expanding the industry,” he said when met last night.
Meanwhile, he said the Selangor Aviation Show (SAS 2021), which was initially expected to take place on April 2, has not been confirmed.
“We will assess the current development of the Covid-19 pandemic. If it is still ongoing, the show may have to be postponed for another six months and if that (the SAS 2021) goes ahead, Selangor will be the first state in Malaysia (or in Southeast Asia) to organise such a show,” he said.
In October last year, during the tabling of the Belanjawan Selangor 2021 (2021 Selangor Budget), the Selangor Menteri Besar Dato’ Seri Amirudin Shari announced the organising of the exhibition to spur the growth of the aerospace sector and to prepare an avenue for local companies as well as entrepreneurs from the small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to explore the field.