Last week, Bung Moktar slammed the airlines for setting a ridiculously high price of flight tickets back to Sabah as the festive season approaches.
Yesterday (17 April), Prime Minister Dato Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob reminded the airlines to not take advantage of the festive season and mark up the price of the flight tickets to Sabah & Sarawak. Astro Awani reported that he had also informed the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDNHEP) to be firm when it comes to taking action in handling this matter.
“Strict actions will be taken to airlines that increase the price to the extent of burdening the visitors. It is an offence under the Price Control and Anti -Profiteering Act. ” Sabri said.
Sabri added that a 1-way ticket to Sabah that costs RM2,000 is just as expensive as the flight ticket to London. He reiterated that regardless of the big or small airlines, actions will be taken to any airlines which take excessive profits.
“We don’t want traders to take advantage of this fasting and Raya season to put pressure on the people by jacking up the price.”
In the meantime, Sabri was informed that the Minister of Transport, Datuk Seri Dr. Wee Ka Siong has held a meeting with airlines to review the rather extreme price hike. He said the extreme increase was inappropriate because it would certainly burden consumers, let alone those who planned to return to their respective villages.
The flight ticket back to Sabah & Sarawak have recently seen an increase as much as 500% in the price which caused uproar among the Malaysians who have started to plan their journey to balik kampung.
“If the price of flight ticket back to Kedah increases, people may opt to drive instead. But what about those who wants to return to Sabah & Sarawak?”
Do you think the flight tickets to Sabah & Sarawak have been to expensive lately? Fellow Sabahans & Sarawakians, what’s the standard price of the flight ticket back to your hometown?
