Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook has revealed that he has been tasked by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to find a mechanism to overcome the issue of expensive airfares to East Malaysia during all festive seasons.
Previously, the Transport Minister had a public disagreement with his predecessor Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong over the ticket flight prices to Sabah and Sarawak during this Hari Raya Aidilfitri period.
Speaking of which, earlier today, we reported on the Member of Parliament for Muar Syed Saddiq urging the government to subsidise flights to East Malaysia during festive seasons.
As reported by BERNAMA, Loke said that his ministry is looking for ways and initiatives to solve the problem, not just for Aidilfitri, but also for other festivals such as Hari Gawai.
Loke was quoted as saying,
“In fact, almost 2 months ago, various plans and discussions were made, such as increasing the ticket quota since March, to overcome this problem.”
Besides that, the Transport Minister also confirmed that the ministry is planning a similar initiative to help students return to their hometowns during festive seasons and semester breaks.
Currently, the mechanism is still being refined but the ministry has identified and obtained data on students from Sabah and Sarawak who are studying in Peninsula Malaysia. The ministry also has data for those from Peninsula Malaysia that are studying in East Malaysia, which comprises more than 50,000 people.
So, what do you guys think of the statement by the Transport Minister? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!
