Help small businesses instead of AirAsia, economist urges Sabah

PETALING JAYA - A political economist has questioned the decision of the government-owned Sabah bank to lend AirAsia RM300 million, and said the money should instead be spent to help small and medium enterprises in the state.

Firdausi Suffian of Sabah UiTM said he was surprised to read reports that the budget airline has secured an RM300 million loan from Sabah Development Bank, a wholly owned subsidiary of the state government.

Firdausi said while there was nothing wrong for a bank to issue loans to a company, a state-owned bank’s priority should be to assist companies in Sabah, particularly SMEs, which have been badly affected by Covid-19.

“Against the backdrop of Covid-19, one would think that the focus would be on SMEs rather than a company which has been making huge profits for the past few years.”

Last week, SAPP president Yong Teck Lee had urged the state government to stop the loan, as the bank was mandated to provide financing for projects in Sabah and not on “risky ventures”.

However, in a stock exchange filing on Friday, the airline said the loan had been secured and disbursed and would be used to enhance logistics in Sabah, helping to create over 100,000 new jobs.
Barjoyai Bardai.

Firdausi said SMEs were the backbone of the economy, and that Sabah had 55,000 SMEs employing over 150,000 people.

“SMEs are only getting assistance of around RM90 million in the two Sabah government stimulus packages,” he said, pointing out that the sector contributes close to 57% of Sabah’s gross domestic product.

Another economist, Barjoyai Bardai of Universiti Tun Abdul Razak, said he could not see the Sabah government’s rationale in wanting to loan AirAsia so much money which could be used to support struggling businesses in the state.

“It is a different story if they are investing in the company. I think the state government will have to explain the rationale behind this decision because it will come under scrutiny.”