KUANTAN, Dec 10 — The Pahang government has been urged to realise the potential of turning Kuantan Airport into a major East Coast flight hub.
V Arumugam (BN-Sabai) said currently there was only one daily direct flight from Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) and three weekly flights from Singapore, as well as chartered flights.
“Direct domestic flights from Subang Airport, Penang and East Malaysia such as Kota Kinabalu (Sabah) and Kuching (Sarawak) would definitely provide a competitive flight network, in addition to other destinations in ASEAN countries.
“So I suggest that the state government and Tourism Pahang hold engagement sessions with airlines to realise the true potential of Kuantan Airport,” he said when debating the Pahang Budget 2026 at the Pahang state legislative assembly in Wisma Sri Pahang here on Tuesday.
He also asked the state government to consider studying the suitability of Gunung Halia in Karak, which has beautiful natural formations, for recreational activities and also hiking.
Also, Haris Salleh Hamzah (appointed assemblyman) proposed the setting up of a Pahang Rafflesia Interpretation Centre as a state biodiversity education centre as a natural conservation effort, and urged that a Central Forest Spine Pahang Trust Fund be considered for long-term conservation funding and to reduce dependence on annual budgets.
He also stressed on the importance of empowering local communities and suggested that Orang Asli youth be trained as professional eco-guides so that it could help them generate incomes.
