Subsidise airfares for East Malaysians, says Syed Saddiq

 

Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman has called on Putrajaya to be transparent about flight frequencies to East Malaysia.

PETALING JAYA: Sabahans and Sarawakians deserve to have their airfares to East Malaysia subsidised as they have to cope with expensive tickets during festive seasons, says Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman.

Syed Saddiq said while the RM93 million spent on free tolls during the Hari Raya period provided some relief to those travelling to their hometowns, Sabahans and Sarawakians did not benefit from this initiative as they had to bear expensive airfares to fly home for the festive season.

He cited a viral TikTok video where a Sabahan netizen shared about having to spend RM600 for a flight ticket from Kuala Lumpur to her home state.

“They should be able to enjoy subsidies just like all of us here in Peninsular Malaysia who are enjoying free tolls,” the Muda president said in a TikTok video.

The former minister called on Putrajaya to be transparent about flight frequencies to East Malaysia and to calculate the projected cost to subsidise the airfares for Sabahans and Sarawakians.

Last month, transport minister Loke Siew Fook said Putrajaya was looking into easing the burden of tertiary students flying between the peninsula and East Malaysia by providing them with a “credit fund” for flight tickets, similar to book vouchers.

Loke said his ministry tried to provide some incentive or subsidy for students to fly back during festive seasons this year, but this was not approved by the finance ministry.

Syed Saddiq also backed Loke’s credit fund proposal, saying it would help the university students return home during festive seasons. - FMT