Airlines should set the price of festive season flight tickets for Sabah and Sarawak based on corporate social responsibility (CSR), and not just on demand and supply, said Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
He shared that the issue of expensive flight ticket prices had been discussed at the cabinet level.
Zahid said Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and the federal government have made various efforts to address the problem.
“Transport Minister (Anthony Loke) has discussed with the airlines not to use the basis of these flight tickets according to demand and supply, but that there must be an element of CSR to it.
“We hope that during the upcoming festival, this matter will be resolved immediately, and we are very concerned about the problems faced, especially the cost of flights for people from Sabah and Sarawak working in the peninsula.
“We will see at the Kaamatan Festival and Gawai Day celebrations so that this problem does not arise again,” he told a press conference today.
This was after Zahid attended a get-together at MRSM Kota Kinabalu, which is now known as MRSM Musa Aman.
Also present was Mara chairperson Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki.
Other measures
Zahid said apart from that, establishing a boutique airline connecting the peninsula, Sabah and Sarawak, is also one of the measures which can ensure that the price of flight tickets is competitive.
Asked about Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Jeffrey Kitingan's proposal to create the Borneo Civil Aviation Authority to regulate the aviation industry in East Malaysia, Zahid expressed hope that the matter would be brought to the cabinet for discussion.
“I hope the (cabinet) minister responsible for Sabah and Sarawak (Armizan Mohd Ali) will bring this to the cabinet,” he said.
When speaking at the Sabah Umno Liaison Committee’s Aidilfitri open house, at the party's building compound in Kota Kinabalu today, Zahid expressed concern over complaints from people of Sabah and Sarawak of expensive airline tickets to return to their respective hometowns to celebrate Aidilfitri.
“We hope we will be able to facilitate and give opportunities to the B40 and M40 groups, who have very limited finances. Although there are those who can afford it, they may have responsibilities and a lot of expenses incurred.
“Give them the opportunity to return to their hometowns in Sabah and Sarawak with cheap fares,” he said, asking the Transport Ministry to pay attention to the issue, especially during the upcoming Kaamatan Festival and Gawai Day celebrations.
- Bernama
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