VIII. AVIATION AND SARAWAK AIRLINES

VIII. AVIATION AND SARAWAK AIRLINES

It is of utmost regret that the state has such little leverage in the development of aviation in Sarawak in the years that it is in the Federation. The cavaliar manner in which the State has been treated just because aviation is on the Federal list, cannot be anymore tolerated by the people of Sarawak; past, recent and intercurrent aviation events are all proving the point.

I hardly need to state the obvious that Sarawak is isolated not only by the South China Sea, but more so by the Federal BN Government leaving us in the backyard of aviation and tourism development, as in other fields.

We can shout to the world that we are Better than the Paradise here on Borneo Island, but as one Sarawak tourism player puts it, who will come to this Paradise when there is no carrier to bring tourists here! How do they get here? From Sydney, Perth, Frankfurt? How many direct international routes have we left?

Gunong Mulu Resorts, the crown jewel of Sarawak Natural Heritage and tourism, was a couple of years back omitted by MTB publicity brochures featuring mountain resorts of Malaysia.

The tourism and related tourism services industry in Sarawak are just about up in arms. MAS and the Federal Ministry of Transport had always held their stranglehold on the rights to Sarawak airspace. Ironically, through years of mismanagement and top BN crony machinations, MAS is now totally eviscerated by another airline, the Air Asia; MAS has lost its stranglehold even over Sarawak airspace to that clever new–startup AA/FAX.

Make no mistake, as every other Malaysian, I feel the pride and affection of a Malaysian for our national carrier; however I am not the least amused by its present debacle.

Upon the honour of Sarawak and the people of Sarawak, if this State does not make its strongest stand to the Federal BN Government, MAS and especially smarter- than- thou Air Asia/FAX, aviation and tourism in Sarawak will be retreating decades backwards, what with her gleaming new airport terminals.

What is the State shareholding in Air Asia / FAX ? What is there to assure that Air Asia/ FAX will deliver a better service than MAS to the people and to the tourists arriving?

Our so–called “international” KIA and MIA face the unenviable prospect of

Reduced internal connectivity with major Malaysian towns and cities;

Virtually zero international direct connections;

In-coordination in ticketing, international and domestic flight connections, and baggage handling.

The way forward for Sarawak aviation, tourism and related service economy, as I see it, needs at least two major initiatives:

1. The greater opening of Sarawak airspace to other international carriers to access Kuching, Sibu and Miri, thus capitalizing on their more comprehensive presence in the international travel market, their vast networks and their more effective international marketing. The positive impact on Sarawak tourism, would be experienced within a short period of time.

2. In the longer term, the interests of Sarawak and the people of Sarawak may be better served by the establishment of a Sarawak Airlines, or a Sarawak-Sabah Airlines, where Sarawak and/or Sabah government and private stakeholders may have major and possibly controlling share ownership.


In the history of pioneering civil aviation in Borneo, in the 1950s and early 1960s, there existed SABAH AIRWAYS, then BORNEO AIRWAYS before the absorption into Malayan Airways, which evolved as Malaysian, MSA then MAS, as the then Sarawak Minister of Communications, none other than the Honorable YAB CM today can testify.

Brunei which opted to stay out of Malaysia, inaugurated Royal Brunei Airlines in 1975, with a creditable international network for a small nation with a total population less than that of Kuching. This indeed is the major gateway to Borneo which even East Malaysians use, at the expense of missed opportunities for our own economy!

In the best Malaysian spirit of optimism, Mr. Speaker, are we to be forever contented to see BRUNEI BOLEH, and practically everyone else BOLEH, but SARAWAK TAK BOLEH?! What then does this Government have to show for V2020? What to show for the Politics of Development, Mr. Speaker?

For your V2020 sake, talk to the Great Leader of the Kadazans, the Hon. Pairin Kitingan, whose proposals for Sabah Airlines was jettisoned by Dr. M , together with his PBS –led Government. Pairin, now in the politically-correct camp, would be happy that today we are striving for his once lost cause! Given Big-Brother blessing, I bet he would be more than willing to let his aviation dream for Sabah revived. Mr. Speaker, he at least had the foresight for Sabah interests, well ahead of us!

The initial mission of Sarawak Airlines must be to better serve the people of Sarawak and address the short-comings of the inter-current arrangements, both in the domestic rural and domestic East-Peninsular Malaysia sectors, Sarawak-Singapore sector. The wider mission must be the promotion of Sarawak interests in the region and the wider world.


The competitive advantage of Sarawak Airlines or SSA are more than one:

1. Major demand on the Singapore sector; popularity of Sarawak as a destination for Singaporeans;

2. The HK, China and Taiwan sector where there is fast growing potential for business travel and tourism both ways. Some large Chinese cities would be prime targets especially Guangzhou, Fuzhou, in addition to Shanghai and Beijing.

3. Major Australian destinations for Sarawak Students and their relatives provide a strong bottom-line seat occupancy several months in a year. The cities of Perth, Melbourne and Sydney should be prime initial targets. Every Sarawak student in Australia may be a potential promoter for Sarawak to augment the promotion already done by this Government –here my appreciation from this side of the House to Tourism Ministers concerned!

4. Sarawak and Sabah are strategically located in the ASEAN region; Thailand and Vietnam connections may have particular potential.

5. The legacy of the Sovereign State of Sarawak under the Brookes and of British Borneo provides the lure for some in the Western World. Routes to EU and N. America will however have to depend on good connections with Australasia and East and North-East Asia respectively.
Mr. Speaker, in the months ahead the people of Sarawak will be keenly watching the policy direction of this so-called Politics of Development Government in a matter as important as the lifeline to the people.

The people want to see real mettle of the State BN Government in persuading the Federal BN Government to truly respect Sarawak as a full partner of the Federation, a partner which will be proud to celebrate in the Golden Jubilee year, on Sept.16th 2013.