by GLORIA HARRY BEATTY
THE Selangor Aviation Show (SAS) 2024 achieved a total potential transaction value of RM3.2 billion, up from RM823 million last year.
Selangor State Investment, Trade, and Mobility Executive Councilor Ng Sze Han (picture) said this marked the largest achievement in SAS history and solidified SAS2024’s pivotal role in driving the aerospace industry forward.
The event also saw the signing of 41 memoranda of understanding (MoUs), nearly doubling the 28 agreements from SAS2023.
“These agreements highlight collaborations between numerous local companies and foreign entities, including three from Singapore and one each from China, the Czech Republic and Thailand, underscoring the event’s expanding global reach.
“These MOUs highlight a broad spectrum of strategic collaborations across various aerospace sub-sectors,” he said at a press conference for the Post-Report for the SAS 2024 in Shah Alam on Friday.
These MOUs include joint ventures for the development of Selangor Aero Park (SAP), advancements in Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and green technologies in Malaysia, electric aviation initiatives for vocational workforce development, aerospace research and training programmes and partnerships to expand maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) centres.
Ng added that this year’s show showcased strong industry representation, with a diverse range of participants, including 129 exhibitors, speakers and visitors from 39 countries, all engaging with and demonstrating cutting-edge technologies, products and services in the aerospace and aviation sectors.
It also recorded 29,638 visitors over three days, from 19,217 visitors registered during SAS 2023.
The event showcased an array of 40 static displays, comprising 31 Malaysian-owned aircrafts and nine international aircraft from India, France and Singapore.
Notable business jets appearances included the Falcon 8X, Dornier 228, Honda HA-420 HondaJet, Diamond DA62, 3 Diamond DA42 and Diamond DA40.
Ng said next year’s fifth edition will explore new locations to better serve its audience and expand its focus to include a diverse landscape ecosystem.
Key segments will encompass MRO, Business Aviation and Commercial, sports aviation, search and rescue operations, drones, helicopters, space development and supporting services such as F&B, talent development and airport operations.
Meanwhile, Ng cited a recent report by Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) which ranked Selangor as the top performing state in terms of approved investments, with RM66.8 billion investment from January until September 2024.
“This is a very good performance from Selangor, particularly from Invest Selangor, that we have hit our target of RM50 billion for this year and exceeded our target for 2024. We will need to set the highest target for next year,” he added.