In a statement issued today, the aviation company said the jet was used as commercial charter and could be used at any time by the public, individuals, corporate sector or any government entity.
The company expressed regret that some people had intentionally or unintentionally missed its statement issued last month regarding the jet, and had instead alluded to questionable or suspicious activities by the state government.
In addition to the G200 jet, Sabah Air also owns and operates a Nomad and a KingAir 200, which are also for the purpose of commercial charter, medevac and aerial survey.
“Sabah Air is in the process of venturing into VIP air ambulance and executive charter with a Singapore company. We are looking to lease or acquire a Lear Jet 60 to be based out of Sabah Air’s Subang base,” the company said.
Sabah Air also operates 12 helicopters for commercial charter, passenger transfer for the offshore oil and gas industry, flying doctor service, medevac, aerial survey and aerial tourism.
Sabah Air was incorporated in 1975 as a private limited company wholly owned by the Sabah government, under the purview of the finance ministry.
At a press conference on Tuesday, Parti Warisan Sabah (Warisan) Youth chief Mohd Azis Jamman challenged the state government to come clean on the true ownership of the G200 jet.
Azis said he was alerted to the existence of the jet through a Facebook post by one Azizul Hj Tandek, who said a high-ranking state official had been seen boarding the jet on several occasions at the Kota Kinabalu hangar.
Asked if the jet belonged to Sabah Air as previously stated, Azis said Warisan had checked and found that the jet was registered under the name of a foreign limited company based in Birmingham, UK.
His sources at the airport, he said, also told him that the aircraft was a private jet owned by a state official.
“We are not accusing this state official, we only want to know the truth. I think Sabahans would feel proud that our state official has his own private jet, too,” he had said.