MIRI – The Sarawak United People’s Party’s (SUPP) Bukit Assek branch in central Sarawak has called on the government to set a ceiling price for domestic airfares in the state.
After a meeting in Sibu yesterday, its deputy branch chairman Joseph Chieng told reporters that it has passed a resolution urging the government to enforce more affordable prices for the public.
“We have passed a resolution calling on the government to cap flight fares in Sarawak. We in Sarawak use flights often as this is the fastest mode of travel in this vast state.
“The constantly high cost of flights is a constant burden on the rakyat who need to travel often for business and social needs.
“The government must set a ceiling price for each of the routes so that the cost will not keep on rising,” Chieng said.
Similarly, a native group fighting for the rights of indigenous Sarawakians has also called on the state and federal governments to pressure national airlines into reducing airfares within Sarawak.
The Society for Rights of Indigenous People of Sarawak (Scrips) feels that merely reducing airfares from peninsula states to Sarawak is not good enough.
Its northern Sarawak ground coordinator Michael Ding told The Vibes today that Kuching should liaise with national airlines regarding where the state government can subsidise airfares for locals.
“The airfares within Sarawak destinations are still so expensive. Flights from Miri to Kuching still cost about RM500 to RM600 per way during peak season. This is very expensive for the average family or lower-income earners.
“Flights between Miri or Kuching to other destinations such as Bintulu, Sibu, Limbang, Labuan, Kota Kinabalu and other towns also need to have cheaper fares.
“While it is good to reduce airfares between the peninsula and Sarawak, due attention must be given to the routes within Sarawak,” Ding said, responding to the fact that national airlines are giving discounted fares for routes between Peninsular and East Malaysia for Hari Raya Aidilfitri.
The activist explained that Sarawakians are highly dependent upon air travel as the state is the largest in Malaysia, and road connectivity is lacklustre compared to West Malaysia.
Putrajaya had recently instructed national airlines to reduce ticket prices to Sabah and Sarawak for the upcoming Hari Raya celebrations.
Transport Minister Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong had announced that airfares from the peninsula to the two Borneo states would be reduced from April 27 to May 8.
The rates will be between RM105 to RM1,398 one-way depending on the points of travel between the peninsula and the Borneo states. – The Vibes, April 26, 2022
