With an influx of tourists coming into Sabah, a proper plan must be put in place to cater for Sabah tourists requirement at least for the next 20 years and beyond.

Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom) was formally established on March 1 last year under the Malaysian Aviation Commission Act 2015 to regulate economic and commercial matters related to civil aviation in Malaysia.

As Mavcom's executive chairman General Tan Sri Abdullah bin Ahmad explained, Mavcom studies and advises the State Government on the need for a new airport but does not involve in deciding the site for the development.

Nonetheless, he hoped that the construction of the new airport could be coordinated with the Pan Borneo Highway to reduce additional planning costs, survey costs and costs to build a different highway to connect the new airport to Kota Kinabalu.

"So many costs could be saved if the new airport is built beside the (Pan Borneo) highway" he said.

The highway project will change Sabah's infrastructural landscape and provide a more efficient, comfortable and safer connection for several major cities in the state and its 3.74 million population.

Construction of the highway is expected to be completed by 2022.