A regional airline linking Sabah, Brunei, and Sarawak could have transformed Borneo’s economy—if only the Sabah government had acted.

Former Chief Minister Shafie Apdal, who first proposed the initiative in 2019, said the plan aimed to lower airfares, boost tourism, and create jobs. But when Warisan lost power in 2020, the idea was abandoned.

“We had everything in place—Brunei had an airline, Sarawak had a license, and Sabah had Sabah Air. We could have worked together,” Shafie said.

Instead, while Sarawak pushed forward with its own airline, Sabah did nothing.

“Sarawak went ahead. Sabah? Nothing,” he said, referring to Sarawak’s takeover of MasWings to establish AirBorneo.

The consequences, Shafie argued, are clear. Without its own airline, Sabah remains at the mercy of Malaysia Airlines and AirAsia, where high ticket prices make travel expensive for both residents and tourists.

“We could have controlled our own fares. We wouldn’t be dictated to by others,” he said.

Beyond lower fares, a regional airline would have created jobs across multiple sectors and strengthened Sabah’s tourism industry.

“This wasn’t just about running flights—it was about opening Sabah to the world,” Shafie said.

He pointed to his administration’s RM300 million loan to AirAsia as an example of how Sabah had the leverage to shape its aviation industry.

“I told (AirAsia boss) Tony Fernandes, I’ll lend you RM300 million, but you must pay back. If not, I’ll take five planes,” Shafie said.

The deal ensured AirAsia hired Sabahans, and the company has since repaid over RM200 million.

But under the current leadership, Sabah has taken no similar steps.

“The opportunity was there. The discussions were had. But this government did nothing,” Shafie said.

As Sarawak moves forward, Sabah is left behind—another missed opportunity for economic growth. – February 17, 2025