Sarawak transport minister Lee Kim Shin said this was agreed upon following his meeting with transport minister Loke Siew Fook in Putrajaya yesterday.

He said the primary objective of the meeting was to discuss the establishment of Sarawak Airline through the acquisition of MASwings.

“The Sarawak government’s delegation, consisting of members representing the Sarawak government, will actively participate in the task force.

“It was also decided that an MoU will be signed to initiate further discussions and facilitate the takeover,” he said in a statement here today.

On June 15, Sarawak premier Abang Johari Openg said Sarawak had agreed in principle to take over MASwings, a wholly owned subsidiary of Malaysia Airlines Bhd, to be rebranded as a boutique airline owned by the state government.

Abang Johari said MASwings, which currently only operates in the interior region of Borneo, would be given a new lease of life with the addition of flight destinations.

On April 17, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim agreed in principle with the Sarawak government’s proposal to establish a boutique airline.

Anwar said the establishment of the airline could bring down expensive fares, especially between Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah and Sarawak.