Subang: The Subang Airport Regeneration Plan (SARP) must be strategically implemented, accompanied by supporting infrastructure and public transport connectivity, said the Malaysia Institute of Transport (MiTRANS).
According to BERNAMA News Agency, such strategic implementation would ensure long-term sustainability, aligning with Budget 2026’s aspiration to position Malaysia as Southeast Asia’s leading aerospace hub by 2030. MiTRANS director and Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) associate professor Dr Wan Mazlina Wan Mohamed emphasized the development’s need to improve access between the Subang area, Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), and other major cities to enhance mobility for passengers and workers.
Dr. Wan Mazlina pointed out that the current absence of KTM Komuter service from Subang Skypark to KL Sentral and the lack of LRT or MRT lines passing through the area highlight the necessity to upgrade public transport services and infrastructure. In his Budget 2026 speech, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim underscored that Subang Airport and its surrounding area are strategically positioned to support the aerospace industry.
The Prime Minister suggested that the airport expansion project and surrounding development should be led by the government and government-linked companies (GLCs) to ensure the prioritization of national interests and Bumiputera participation. Dr. Wan Mazlina elaborated that SARP is designed as a comprehensive ecosystem encompassing business and commercial aviation, helicopter services, maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) activities, air cargo logistics, and aerospace manufacturing.
The development is expected to stimulate economic growth and create job opportunities in the Subang vicinity. However, stakeholders have urged the government to address existing challenges such as traffic congestion, rapid urban development, and the need to retain skilled local talent in this strategic sector. Dr. Wan Mazlina further noted that if international players wish to base their operations in Subang, safeguards must be in place to ensure they contribute to building local capabilities, instead of solely offering higher pay and drawing away homegrown talent.
Subang has also been proposed as a future hub for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM), including air taxis and air ambulances, which would notably support Malaysia’s growing medical tourism sector, particularly from Singapore, Indonesia, and the Middle East. The presence of universities such as UniKL MIAT, UiTM, Taylor’s University, Monash, INTI, MSU, and Sunway around Subang presents strong opportunities for aerospace research and development (R and D) and talent pipeline development to meet future industry demands.
Dr. Wan Mazlina highlighted that due to Subang’s proximity to Kuala Lumpur and Malaysia’s growing popularity as a medical tourism destination among visitors from Singapore, Indonesia, and the Middle East, the area holds strong strategic potential. She added that it could be developed as a hub for air taxis and air ambulances to transport patients and their caregivers from neighboring countries to leading hospitals in the Klang Valley.
In tandem with these developments, the LRT Shah Alam Line (LRT3) is seen as a key initiative that enhances safer and more sustainable urban mobility. The 37.8-kilometer alignment from Bandar Utama to Johan Setia in Klang is expected to begin operations by the end of 2025, with a capacity of over 6,200 passengers per hour per direction. Beyond connecting residential areas to city centers, LRT3 is anticipated to reduce motorcycle dependency among students and young adults, potentially lowering the rate of road accidents. Dr. Wan Mazlina added that even a five percent shift from motorcycle trips to LRT3 could reduce motorcycle-related accidents along the corridor by around three to five percent.