Reduce plane ticket prices to Sabah by increasing flights - MP

 

Kota Kinabalu MP Chan Foong Hin has urged Transport Minister Wee Ka Siong to have airlines arrange for additional flights from Peninsular Malaysia to Sabah as a ticket price lowering measure during festive seasons.

Chan (above, left) said the proposal to increase available seats was contrary to the alternative strategy of government intervention through imposing ceiling prices on flight tickets.

"Prices of air tickets are usually high when there are only a few seats left on a flight.

"The prices would increase when there is a high demand and when there are only a few seats available," the DAP policy bureau chairperson said in a statement today.

He pointed out that the only way to control such price hikes is to increase flights during festive seasons.

"As such, I would like to call upon Wee to have airlines arrange for additional flights to control airfare from spiralling out of control," Chan said, adding that imposing a ceiling price during festive seasons would affect the average price on normal days.

The DAP lawmaker cited a Bernama report that the price of a return ticket between Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu was found to be around the RM2,000 range during the Hari Raya Aidilfitri festive period between April 29 and May 8, despite running promotions for tickets from RM300.

‘Wee’s silence is deafening’

In expressing disappointment over the federal government's inaction, Chan echoed similar sentiments voiced by three Sabah government leaders - Chief Minister Hajiji Noor, Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Bung Moktar Radin and Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Jafry Ariffin.

"I echo the above Sabah leaders’ description of the situation - the hike in air tickets is indeed a 'burden', 'daylight robbery' and indeed 'ridiculous'.

"The million dollar question is - why then is the federal government seemingly doing absolutely nothing about it other than having meetings after meetings without any concrete or tangible results for the benefit of Sabahans?

"Why does it seem like Wee is absolutely silent (on the matter) as if it is not his business?” he asked.

"Despite the saying 'silence is golden', in this case, Wee’s silence is certainly deafening," Chan added.

On Monday, Warisan’s Sepanggar MP also lamented the price of flights when he had to take one to attend a special Dewan Rakyat meeting, saying that plane ticket prices from Sabah to Kuala Lumpur were “far more expensive than to European countries”.

Chan further said the price hike was unacceptable as many Sabahans in the peninsula are looking forward to reuniting with their families following the transition into the endemic phase from April 1, along with relaxed travel restrictions. - Mkini