Sarawak Premier Abang Johari has broken his silence on the recent AirBorneo flight disruptions, calling them 'teething problems' during the transition from MASwings and assuring the public that solutions are on the way.
Speaking at the launch of the SWG Green Industrial Complex and Decarbon Hub at Demak Laut Industrial Park today, the Premier acknowledged the challenges faced by the state-owned airline.
'We are still in the transition stage when we took over MASwings, and therefore, there are some minor problems along the way. But surely, it will be resolved. We will solve the problem for the future,' he said.
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Source: DayakDaily (file photo)
What happened
In recent weeks, AirBorneo-operated flights have faced a series of disruptions including delays and cancellations, drawing widespread complaints on social media. The issues emerged shortly after the Sarawak government completed its takeover of MASwings and rebranded it as AirBorneo.
Abang Johari stressed that AirBorneo was created with a bigger vision — to strengthen Sarawak's position within the ASEAN economy and provide businesses with better access to regional markets.
'For us in this region, our market does not only rely on Sarawak's market. Neither should you rely on the Malaysian market. You must rely on the ASEAN market. We are in the middle of ASEAN,' he said.
The bigger picture
The Premier outlined that Sarawak is investing heavily in connectivity infrastructure — from undersea power cables to Singapore to enhanced transportation networks — and AirBorneo is a key piece of that puzzle.
'If you want to go to see your client in Jakarta, you need our own airline to go there. At the moment, we are building physical bridges, but because we are on an island, we also need bridges to our neighbours,' he explained.
He added that the state government is developing its own operational model for the airline to ensure it can effectively support business and economic growth.
Location: Kuching, Sarawak
Details: AirBorneo flight disruptions addressed by Premier Abang Johari
Source: https://dayakdaily.com/we-will-solve-the-problem-abang-johari-addresses-airborneo-controversy/
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