SARAWAK'S AirBorneo is set to take-off by the end of this year, said state Transport Minister Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin.
This follows the full acquisition of MASwings Sdn Bhd from Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG).
"The Share Purchase Agreement between the Sarawak Government and MAG was signed on Feb 12 this year and the legal and beneficial ownership of MASwings is expected to be transferred to AirBorneo Holdings Sdn Bhd by Dec 31, 2025," he said.
He said the stakeholders were actively working to fulfil the necessary regulatory, operational and legal requirements during this transition period to ensure a seamless handover.
“AirBorneo will also focus on enhancing regional and international air connectivity, while continuing to serve rural areas under the Rural Air Services (RAS),” he said as reported by The Borneo Post.
Lee said this in his ministerial winding-up speech at the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting today.
He said AirBorneo is poised to strike a balance between improved connectivity, affordable fares, and economic benefits.
"This positions Sarawak as a key player in the regional aviation industry,” he said.
Apart from that, he said to ensure service continuity, all MASwings staff will be retained post-acquisition, leveraging their experience to maintain reliability.
He also assured that the schedule, frequency and routes under the RAS network will remain unchanged during and after the transition.
As of the first quarter of 2025, MASwings recorded 191,837 passengers and 26.6 tonnes of cargo across its RAS routes, with 8,670 aircraft movements, underscoring the importance of rural connectivity in Sarawak.
Lee also highlighted a strong rebound in Sarawak’s air traffic, with 30,980 aircraft movements and 2.5 million passengers recorded in the first quarter of 2025, which is an eight per cent increase compared to the same period last year. - May 26, 2025
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