(Miri, 24th) The Sarawak government is actively promoting the establishment of 'Borneo Airlines' (AirBorneo) through relevant agencies, with a 12-month timeline set for its operational launch.
Today, Sarawak Transport Minister Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin, while chairing the 2025 Sarawak Public Transport Committee (SPTC) Aviation Sub-committee meeting, stated that preparation work has already begun but involves complex international approval procedures and compliance with aviation regulations.
"We must start immediately; there are many tasks to handle, including regulatory requirements, name changes, international certification, and branding. Therefore, the official operation of Air Borneo needs time."
Lee pointed out that Air Borneo needs to obtain approval from international aviation bodies such as the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Additionally, the airline's passenger system, code name, and logo are being formulated.
"Establishing an airline is not as simple as buying a car; we must comply with many international aviation regulations, which is why the entire process takes time."
He added that relevant stakeholders will convene meetings to discuss various preparations for Air Borneo.
During the meeting, addressing the issue of bird strikes, Lee revealed that pilots have reported bird strike incidents in Limbang, Mulu, and Miri areas. The Sarawak government has instructed the Sarawak Forestry Corporation to immediately conduct research to analyze migratory bird patterns to ensure aviation safety is not affected.
Additionally, Lee reported on the upgrade plans for airports across Sarawak, with the upgrade works for Bario Airport, Limbang Airport, and Lawas Airport being funded by the Sarawak government.
He further stated that the Bario Airport runway extension project has currently completed 26%, ahead of the original schedule by 1%. The runway will be extended by an additional 265 meters, bringing the total length to 930 meters upon completion. The meeting also discussed requests for additional works such as the extension of parking areas and terminal building repairs.
For Limbang Airport, the plan is to extend the existing runway to 1790 meters and conduct resurfacing and add lighting. This project will soon be open for public tender, with construction expected to start soon. Regarding the Lawas Airport, a new location has been identified, and public tender will be conducted by June.
Meanwhile, the upgrade projects for Mulu Airport and Marudi Airport are funded by the federal government and managed by Malaysia Airports Sdn Bhd (MASB).
He stated that the upgrade works for Marudi Airport include runway resurfacing and the upgrading and installation of firefighting equipment, while the tender work for Mulu Airport, which involves runway resurfacing, is about to commence.
Also present at the meeting were Chief Operating Officer of MASwings Sdn Bhd Suresh Singam, MASB Senior General Manager Kamaruzzaman Razali, and Ministry of Transport Sarawak’s technical advisor for the aviation division, Sio Yew Hua.
Today, Sarawak Transport Minister Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin, while chairing the 2025 Sarawak Public Transport Committee (SPTC) Aviation Sub-committee meeting, stated that preparation work has already begun but involves complex international approval procedures and compliance with aviation regulations.
"We must start immediately; there are many tasks to handle, including regulatory requirements, name changes, international certification, and branding. Therefore, the official operation of Air Borneo needs time."
Lee pointed out that Air Borneo needs to obtain approval from international aviation bodies such as the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Additionally, the airline's passenger system, code name, and logo are being formulated.
"Establishing an airline is not as simple as buying a car; we must comply with many international aviation regulations, which is why the entire process takes time."
He added that relevant stakeholders will convene meetings to discuss various preparations for Air Borneo.
During the meeting, addressing the issue of bird strikes, Lee revealed that pilots have reported bird strike incidents in Limbang, Mulu, and Miri areas. The Sarawak government has instructed the Sarawak Forestry Corporation to immediately conduct research to analyze migratory bird patterns to ensure aviation safety is not affected.
Additionally, Lee reported on the upgrade plans for airports across Sarawak, with the upgrade works for Bario Airport, Limbang Airport, and Lawas Airport being funded by the Sarawak government.
He further stated that the Bario Airport runway extension project has currently completed 26%, ahead of the original schedule by 1%. The runway will be extended by an additional 265 meters, bringing the total length to 930 meters upon completion. The meeting also discussed requests for additional works such as the extension of parking areas and terminal building repairs.
For Limbang Airport, the plan is to extend the existing runway to 1790 meters and conduct resurfacing and add lighting. This project will soon be open for public tender, with construction expected to start soon. Regarding the Lawas Airport, a new location has been identified, and public tender will be conducted by June.
Meanwhile, the upgrade projects for Mulu Airport and Marudi Airport are funded by the federal government and managed by Malaysia Airports Sdn Bhd (MASB).
He stated that the upgrade works for Marudi Airport include runway resurfacing and the upgrading and installation of firefighting equipment, while the tender work for Mulu Airport, which involves runway resurfacing, is about to commence.
Also present at the meeting were Chief Operating Officer of MASwings Sdn Bhd Suresh Singam, MASB Senior General Manager Kamaruzzaman Razali, and Ministry of Transport Sarawak’s technical advisor for the aviation division, Sio Yew Hua.