SABAH Chief Minister Mohd Shafie Apdal has turned down AirAsia Group’s offer to buy Kota Kinabalu International Airport Terminal 2 but will consider other options to facilitate the low-budget airline’s needs.

He said the state government remains committed to assisting the airline’s expansion plans as the country needs a competitive airline industry to boost local tourism.

“We want airlines to be very competitive and therefore, we must facilitate.

“AirAsia has made several proposals and we will look into them,” he told reporters after launching the International Trade and Industry Ministry (Miti) day in Kota Kinabalu, today.

Yesterday, Shafie had a brief discussion with AirAsia Group CEO Tony Fernandes over the airline’s plan to expand its business in Sabah.

Shafie said Fernandes has offered to buy Terminal 2, which ceased operation in 2015 following the relocation of all airline operations to Terminal 1.

“I told him don’t take (Terminal 2) as one of the proposals. Let me develop it.

“Fernandes said that he will bring a large number of tourists from Australia and New Zealand next year.

“As the government, we will do our best to facilitate this for Malaysia,” said Shafie.

Fernandes also told the media that AirAsia was looking at bringing in 15 million tourists to Sabah, with a potential revenue of RM150 billion for the state.

Meanwhile, Shafie said Sabah also needs to introduce more tourism products to match with the increase of tourist arrivals into the state.

He said Sabah could perhaps start off with promotion of the Imbak Canyon research centre, where a 20-foot orchid plant exists and also the world’s tallest tropical tree, the Shorea Fatiguena, as well as constructing a cable car service to resort area of Gaya Island.

Malaysia will be promoting tourism next year in view of the Visit Malaysia Year 2020. – October 19, 2019.