NATIONAL INTEGRATION: One hundred community leaders from Sabah and Sarawak joining the delegation for 1Malaysia Integration Programme with AirAsia when it arrived at the Malaysian airforce base in Kuantan by AirAsia flight AKM01 yesterday. Najib and Rosmah accompanied them on that flight. — Bernama photo
SEPANG: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak yesterday announced the implementation of the ‘1Malaysia Integration Programme’ together with AirAsia, which sees a free air ticket offer by the airline for routes between Sabah, Sarawak and the peninsula for a specific period.
He said he was present to launch the design of the livery for the special 1Malaysia aircraft in conjunction with the integration programme at the Low-Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT), here yesterday morning because he was attracted to any endeavour to promote national integration and solidarity.
Najib said the initiative taken by AirAsia based on the 1Malaysia concept mooted by him would certainly be able to bring Sabah and Sarawak closer to the peninsula.
“I look at the 1Malaysia concept as a very meaningful idea that can take the nation to the pinnacle of success that we dream of,” he said at the event to launch the livery for the special Airbus A320 aircraft at the LCCT.
He said the concept emphasised the element of inclusiveness in every effort initiated by the government because it realised that the country’s potential could be attained if everyone could move and act as one community, that is, as Malaysians.
It is learnt that more details on the period and the contents of the ‘1Malaysia Integration Programme’ with AirAsia would be announced by the airline next week.
Najib and his wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, later boarded the aircraft for a trip to Kuantan, together with several community leaders specially brought here from Sabah and Sarawak for the programme today, as well as a group of journalists.
Najib said that besides supporting the integration programme, his presence aimed to give recognition to Air Asia as an airline that had succeeded in promoting itself as a brand or trend that was famous at the international level.
He said that beginning with only two old aircraft about 11 years ago, Air Asia had more than 146 aircraft today, and the fleet would increase to 300 aircraft soon.
Twenty workers took 12 days using 121 cans of paint to prepare the livery for the Airbus A320 1Malaysia aircraft with a capacity of 180 passengers which was launched today.
The aircraft would be used on routes operated by Air Asia Berhad, covering more than 70 destinations in 20 countries, bringing the 1Malaysia experience to the world community. — Bernama