KUCHING, May 18: The New Kuching International Airport (NKIA) project is set to advance into its approval stage with the submission of the Airport Development Request (ADR) to the Ministry of Transport Malaysia.

Sarawak Minister for Transport Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin said the submission follows the successful completion of the Site Verification and Feasibility Study for the project.

"Following this, my Ministry will submit the Airport Development Request (ADR) to the Ministry of Transport Malaysia for development approval.

"The next phase will focus on land acquisition, site preparation and detailed design paving the way for the commencement of physical construction of the New Kuching International Airport," he said when tabling his winding-up speech in the Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUS) today.

He added that the feasibility study has already been completed with Tanjung Embang identifies as the recommended site, and confirmed that the proposed location is operationally and technically feasible.

The study assessed key factors including airspace requirements, land use compatibility, infrastructure connectivity, environmental considerations, as well as passenger and cargo growth potential.

Credits: Shikin Louis, DayakDaily 2026