By Lian Cheng
SARIKEI, Aug 30: Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg said the Sarawak government will take over MASwings through a business model, which he described as “top secret” for now.
He said the discussion is still on going and Sarawak is seriously considering.
“Airline is quite an expensive industry. Definitely, Sarawak has the will to set up its own airline but the capital is high but I have a different business model, a different way, we are still in discussion with MASwings and Sarawak is still weighing (the proposal).
“We will take over MASwings but we don’t want their fleet, their debt or liability. We just want to get the ‘core’ business. We are still working hard on it,” said Abang Johari at the townhall session “Berambeh Ngan Abang Jo” here today.
On the business model that he has in mind, Abang Johari said it is confidential for now and could not revealed.
On other matters, the chief minister said the agro park in Sarikei has already been completed. The project, which sits on a land size of 314 acres at Bading, is the first agro park under Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government.
“It (the agro park) will be like an industrial estate, where the government will provide all the infrastructure. The land will be divided into lots to be given to the farmers. It will still be state land but it will be developed by the farmers.
“The infrastructure include watering and others, all digital, where the crops planted will be rock melon and chili among others. Every lot will be equipped with digital and every farming activity will be programmed. This is modern farming,” he said.
Abang Johari envisioned Sarikei to become a food basket, where implementation is underway.
He said the agro park is already 50 per cent completed and the rest of the 50 per cent involved equipping the whole area with latest technology and digital facilities.
“We know that the people are digitally savvy, so they can become modern farmers,” said Abang Johari. — DayakDaily
