By Shikin Louis
KUCHING, Oct 4: Sarawak’s upcoming airline AirBorneo will run on its own model that keeps airfares affordable and drives economic growth instead of following Malaysia Airlines (MAS) or AirAsia, says Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.
He stressed that the Sarawak government is not chasing return on investment (ROI) alone but looking at the wider impact on the economy.
“The only reason we have our own airline is to open our treasures to the world. Yes, the investment is high but we have our own model. We do not follow MAS or AirAsia.
“Our model is to make sure airfares are not too expensive and it will grow our economy,” he said when officiating the opening of Santubong Archaeological Park and Wallace Centre today.
Abang Johari said while economists often focus on ROI, transport should be assessed by its broader contribution to growth.
He added that tourism, for instance, cannot be measured by ROI because its value is intangible, but it fuels growth that benefits communities widely.
“Take river taxis as example, now many people use them again because they are electric-powered (EV).
“Other states do not have this yet, only Kuching. There is no more engine sound. We are the first. This means we comply with climate change and environmental sustainability,” he added. – DayakDaily
