This came about after Kedah Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor announced that it had received approval from the National Physical Planning Council (MPFN) and had since asked Putrajaya for a loan of up to RM2.5 billion for the purpose.

The MPFN is a federal town planning body that oversees large-scale projects in the country under the Town and Country Planning Act.

Today, Chow said MPFN was just an advisory body.

He said this same body had given 18 “advisory conditions” in approving the Penang South Reclamation or the three islands project in April last year, but which has yet to kick off.

“Approval? I don’t know if that’s the correct word to use.

“MPFN only gives advice that you have to comply with to start the project. I think in the case of the proposed Kulim airport, it is the same — it would only give advice,” he said on the sidelines of an event at Penang Hill today.

Chow said the transport ministry and the prime minister should clarify if the KXP had indeed been approved.

He said he was present at the MPFN meeting where the decision on KXP was made earlier this week.

Chow said the transport ministry had said the National Airports Strategic Plan (NASP) study had to be completed before any airport could be built in the country. The NASP is to be completed by 2023.

On Tuesday, Sanusi said Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, in chairing the MPFN, had okayed the KXP. He said his government had sought a federal loan of up to RM2.5 billion to kickstart the project, failing which it would seek private companies to pursue it.

The Kulim international airport was mooted by former MB Mukhriz Mahathir. The initial cost of the construction of the airport was estimated at RM6.8 billion and it was proposed to handle 15 million passengers per year.

It was previously reported that the airport was to be located on a vast agrarian land at Sidam Kiri, 40km north of Kulim, near Sungai Petani.