SIBU: AirBorneo’s inaugural domestic and international jet services mark a new chapter in Sarawak’s aviation history and reflect the state’s ability to turn long-held aspirations into reality, says Minister of Transport Datuk Seri Lee Kim Shin.
Lee, who is also the Minister-in-charge of the Sarawak Day 2026 celebration, said the milestones demonstrated Sarawak’s determination to chart its own future through visionary leadership and long-term planning.
“Three years ago, during the Sarawak Day celebration in 2023, the Sarawak Government and the Federal Government signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the takeover of the Rural Air Services (RAS) by the Sarawak Government.
“Today, three years later, that aspiration has become a reality,” he said this in his welcoming speech at the Sarawak Day Assembly held at Dataran Tun Tuanku Bujang here on Wednesday (July 22), officiated by Head of State Tun Pehin Sri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.
Also present were Wan Junaidi’s wife, Toh Puan Datuk Patinggi Fauziah Mohd Sanusi, and Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.
Lee said AirBorneo’s inaugural Kuching–Kuala Lumpur flight on July 20 using a Boeing 737-800 jet marked a significant milestone for the state-owned airline.
He said that the occasion was made even more meaningful when Abang Johari personally joined the maiden flight as a show of support for Sarawak’s airline.
“The flight also marked AirBorneo’s first jet service beyond the island of Borneo,” he said.
Lee added that AirBorneo reached another milestone on Sarawak Day with the launch of its inaugural Kuching-Singapore service, the airline’s first international route.
He said the new service marked Sarawak’s entry onto the international aviation stage and opened another chapter in the state’s aviation history.
“All these prove that Sarawak is no longer merely following the tide of change, but is boldly shaping its own future with confidence and foresight,” he said.
Lee said the achievements reflected the continuity of visionary leadership that had guided Sarawak’s development over the past six decades.
He paid tribute to the state’s former leaders, including the late Tan Sri Datuk Amar Stephen Kalong Ningkan, Datuk Seri Tawi Sli, Tun Datuk Patinggi Abdul Rahman Ya’kub, the late Tun Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud, who introduced the Politics of Development policy, and the late Pehin Sri Adenan Satem, who declared July 22 a public holiday to commemorate Sarawak attaining self-governance.
“The progress Sarawak enjoys today is the continuation of visionary leadership from the past until today,” he said.
Lee said Sarawak is now undergoing an extraordinary transformation under Abang Johari’s leadership through the Post COVID-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030, which aims to position the state as a developed and high-income region by 2030.
He added that the Premier’s leadership was distinguished not only by bold decision-making, but also by his willingness to embrace new ideas and seek insights from economists, scientists, technology experts and global leaders to ensure Sarawak remained prepared for future challenges.
