Sabah has what it takes: CEO
Published on: Mon, Jun 23, 2025
By: Jonathan Nicholas Text Size: Fareh (left) with Invest Sabah CEO Dr Firdausi Suffian who was the moderator. Kota Kinabalu: AirAsia Berhad CEO, Datuk Captain Fareh Mazputra, believes Sabah holds untapped potential to become a driving force in Southeast Asia if it continues to embrace bold ideas, invest in its people, and build resilience. Speaking about the airline's own trials and transformation, he offered Sabah a powerful roadmap. 'Sabah has the recipe to be number one in the region. It's not just about location, it's about the people.' Fareh's remarks as star speaker during the Sabah SME 2025 Conference came at a pivotal time as Sabah looks to elevate its status beyond tourism and into a wider economic spotlight. 'Sabah sits right at the heart of Asean. That's not something to be taken lightly. But what makes it special is that its progress wasn't handed down, it was built from the ground up by its own people. And that's why AirAsia is proud to work hand-in-hand with Sabah,' he said. With Kota Kinabalu now AirAsia's second-largest hub in Malaysia, the airline's presence is not just symbolic, it's strategic.
Advertisement Over the past year, AirAsia has opened new direct routes connecting Sabah to China, Indonesia, and Vietnam, including bold bets like launching the Wuhan–KK and Bandung–KK routes both now showing strong growth. 'We're not afraid to take leaps. Just look at how Phu Quoc Island in Vietnam went from an unknown to a tourist destination. It's the same playbook we believe can work for Sabah.' However, his optimism is grounded in hard lessons. Recalling AirAsia's survival during the COVID-19 crisis, Fareh said the airline had just five operating aircraft while the rest were grounded. Borders were closed, yet lease payments kept coming as revenue dried up overnight. 'We had nothing to ensure income. We couldn't fly, and we had to ask ourselves what came next. It was a crisis that nearly broke the company.' Yet from that collapse came innovation. With what savings they had left, he said AirAsia retained its core staff and began building non-aviation businesses, ventures that today are major players in Malaysia's economy. Among them, Asia Digital Engineering (ADE), now one of the region's largest aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul companies, set to overtake even Singapore's long-time dominance in the space. 'Covid taught us that depending on one income stream is dangerous. That's why we diversified. And that's exactly the kind of thinking Sabah will need to scale up. Think long-term, build around your strengths, but never rely on just one formula.' For Sabah's SMEs, his message was simple. 'Resilience starts with your people. 'Take care of your people, and they'll take care of you. 'You can't stop people from leaving, but they'll come back with value if you've built the right environment.' Fareh praised the current Sabah leadership and the tourism board, highlighting their willingness to collaborate and push forward. 'We work well with the state because they don't sit still. They want to do more, they want to try. That's what we look for in a partner. 'In the next few years, I truly believe Sabah will become a key vehicle in a regional economic powerhouse.' He also welcomed competition, including the recent discussions around AirBorneo. 'Competition is good. It gives consumers options and only through options do you become better. 'The same applies internally. If you're not competitive, you lose talent. Don't focus on others, focus on being better than yourself yesterday,' he said. As AirAsia continues to grow its presence across Sabah and the BIMP-EAGA region, Fareh stressed that the airline's mission is more than connecting destinations, it's about connecting people, ideas, and economic opportunities. 'Our dream is to keep connecting the dots. We're here to serve the underserved and Sabah is one of the most important dots in that vision.' AirAsia's journey from purchasing a debt-ridden airline for one ringgit to becoming one of Asia's largest low-cost carriers is often seen as a rags-to-riches story. But as Fareh put it, it's about consistency, humility, and the relentless pursuit of better. 'Sabah has everything it needs, the location, the people, and now, the partnerships. What comes next is simply the mindset to simplify, improve, and fly further,' he concluded. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available.
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