Sarawak State Premier Abang Johari Openg has reaffirmed his government's acquisition of MASwings (MY, Kota Kinabalu), which is expected to finalise by the end of 2024, and an in-principle acquisition agreement has been reached between the Sarawak government, Malaysia's federal transport ministry, the Malaysian Aviation Commission (MAVCOM), and the current owners of the airline, Malaysia Aviation Group.
"I expect it to be concluded by August or, at the latest, by year-end," he told the New Straits Times. "We will have our own airline by 2025. The current focus is on discussing the technical aspects of the acquisition."
The premier has doggedly pursued his plan to base a scheduled passenger operator in his state, arguing that current operators at Kuching are not adequately servicing the needs of local residents. His initial plan to launch a start-up, drawing on the resources and know-how of local general aviation operator Hornbill Skyways (Kuching) was later superseded by a plan to buy MASwings, a regional airline with an existing presence in Sarawak. Malaysia Aviation Group also operates Firefly and Malaysia Airlines and is owned by the Malaysian government via the Khazanah Nasional sovereign wealth fund.
The premier is keen for the sovereign wealth fund to finance his acquisition of MASwings and says talks with it and Malaysia Aviation Group about buying shares in a Sarawak-based MASwings are ongoing. Openg also advises that the airline's name will change. While saying the government had settled on a new name, he declined to say what it was.
