Bring up Borneo Aviation Authority proposal to Cabinet, says Zahid

KOTA KINABALU: The proposal to establish a Borneo Aviation Authority for Sabah and Sarawak should be brought to the Cabinet, says Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

The Deputy Prime Minister said this proposal should be handled and followed up by the minister in charge of Sabah and Sarawak affairs, Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali, who is also Papar MP.

“I think on this issue, I hope the minister in charge of Sabah and Sarawak, who is also the MP for Papar, will bring it to the Cabinet,” he said when asked about the proposal by Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan amid high prices of air tickets during holidays.

Ahmad Zahid said this during his visit to Maktab Rendah Sains Mara Kota Kinabalu, which has since been renamed MRSM Tan Sri Musa Aman Kota Kinabalu, on Thursday (May 4).

Last week, Jeffrey had made the suggestion to resolve "expensive and unreasonable" airfares faced by people in the two states.

He said the time has come to establish a body to regulate and look after the aviation industry in Sabah and Sarawak and that there have been reports of issues and delays in the handling of aviation matters in Sabah by the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM).

Earlier, Ahmad Zahid said efforts are being made to look into the extravagant airfare issue for travels between Sabah, Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia, especially during festive and holiday seasons.

Among them were discussions for the setting up of boutique airways not only between Sabah and Sarawak, but also for travels from these two states to the peninsula.

He said the Transport Ministry is also having negotiations with airline companies on whether it was possible to not take supply and demand reasonings to set airfares.

“I hope for the coming Kaamatan and Gawai festivals, we will not see this issue arise again and we will be monitoring the situation,” Ahmad Zahid said.

He said he had taken note of grouses by Sabahans and Sarawakians about high airfares during festive seasons, like the Hari Raya Aidilfitri.

“We at the federal level are very much concerned about these issues and are finding ways to resolve them,” he added.