By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, May 6: The Sarawak government is moving forward in its efforts to develop the State’s aerospace industry through a strategic collaboration with Airbus, a leading global aerospace company.
In a Sarawak Public Communication Unit (UKAS) report, Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said that the Sarawak delegation’s visit to the Airbus headquarters has opened space for six key areas that have been agreed to be explored together towards making Sarawak a new aerospace hub in the Asia Pacific region.
Among these areas is the development of a 100-acre aerotropolis— a metropolitan subregion where infrastructure, land use, and the economy are centred around an airport—to strengthen the development of the aviation industry in the State.
“The State government plans to develop an area of 100 acres as the aerotropolis site,” he said in a press conference after conducting a working visit to the Airbus Campus and ATR Headquarters, which is the world’s leading turboprop aircraft manufacturer, in Toulouse, France, on Monday (May 5).
The second area is the use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), with Sarawak currently actively conducting research to produce SAF in line with the global goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
The third area is the development of human capital in the aerospace industry, with collaboration between Airbus and local institutions to be expanded to develop training programmes and syllabi related to aerospace.
“This initiative will open opportunities for Sarawak students to undergo international-class industrial training,” he said.
The Premier added that the fourth area agreed upon was the development of a supporting industry ecosystem.
He explained that Sarawak would also explore the potential of manufacturing composite materials and gas-based synthetic leather for use in the aviation industry, in addition to avionics technology and instrumentation related to smart chips based on artificial intelligence (AI).
“The fifth area is the digitalisation of travel and aviation services, with the concept of ‘digital journey’ to be introduced. This is to integrate travel arrangements from booking flight tickets, using the Autonomous Rapid Transit (ART) transport system, to accommodation in a seamless digital package,” he said.
The sixth key area agreed upon was the establishment of a Sarawak-Airbus joint task force to draft a roadmap for the development of Sarawak’s aerospace industry, involving expertise from both parties.
“One team will be formed from our side, while Airbus will also form its team. This step aims to create a combination of expertise in the industry through comprehensive cooperation and discussions between the experts involved.
“This effort is expected to be a catalyst for the development of the aviation industry, thus opening up new opportunities for the advancement of this sector at the international level,” he explained.
Earlier, the Sarawak Premier and his delegation conducted a working visit to the headquarters of ATR, the world’s leading turboprop aircraft manufacturer in France.
He and his delegation then attended a professional networking session at the Airspace Customer Showroom, Agoahub hosted by Airbus International President, Wouter van Wersch, before continuing with a comprehensive tour of the Airbus customer showroom.
Malaysian Ambassador to France, Datuk Eldeen Husaini Mohd Hashim; Sarawak Deputy Premier, Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan; Sarawak Transport Minister, Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin; Sarawak Secretary and AirBorneo chairman, Datuk Amar Mohamad Abu Bakar Marzuki; Sarawak Attorney General, Dato Sri Saferi Ali and Sarawak Financial Secretary, Dato Sri Dr. Wan Lizozman Wan Omar as members of the Board of Directors of AirBorneo, Deputy Sarawak Secretary (Economic Planning & Development), Dato Sri D. Muhammad Abdullah Zaidel and senior Sarawak government officials were also present. — DayakDaily
