KOTA KINABALU: A Bornean Civil Aviation Authority should be set up for Sabah and Sarawak to resolve "expensive and unreasonable" airfares faced by people in the two states, says Sabah Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan.
"The time has come to establish a body to regulate and look after the aviation industry in Sabah and Sarawak.
"I believe that it can look after the interests of anyone travelling to and from the Bornean states," he said.
Amid general outrage over high domestic airfares during the Hari Raya Aidilfitri and school holiday period, Kitingan said such an agency will be able to focus on issues affecting the aviation sector in the two states.
He said there have been reports of issues and delays in the handling of aviation matters in Sabah by the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM).
"There are talented and qualified Sabahans including some educated, trained and certified in the United States to staff a Bornean-centric agency," he said in a statement on Tuesday (April 25).
In the long run, he added, this would benefit the nation's aviation industry as well.
He said air travel was important to Sabah and Sarawak because international tourism was a key contributor to their economy.
"Kota Kinabalu International Airport is the second busiest airport in Malaysia and the regional hub for many airlines with direct international flights," he added.
He said the proposed body would also complement Sarawak's plans to set up a boutique airline, and Sabah Air's discussions to venture into the air cargo sector with an established logistics group.
"This will turn Sabah Air into a regional airline for the BIMP-EAGA (Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines-East Asean Growth Area) region," he added.
Kitingan said that he will be proposing the formation of the aviation authority at the MA63 Federal Cabinet Committee meeting.
"Air travel should not be burdensome as it is the only viable option for the Borneans unlike our peninsular cousins who have the luxury of low-cost land routes to balik kampung for Raya," he noted.
