This was not only because our Oscar-winning Tan Sri Michelle Yeoh brought global attention to Malaysia. While it is unclear how officials decided on the big “four-seven”, the effort required to deliver double-digit growth started as early as 2024. Our government-linked entities, in particular Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd and Malaysia Aviation Group Bhd, are shouldering key aspects of this route development exercise. Improve land travel experienceIt is not an overstatement to say that the government is focusing too heavily on route development. Improvements in these areas would indirectly spur domestic demand, which has long been a key engine of economic growth for Malaysia.

Source: The Edge Markets January 12, 2026 05:02 UTC