KUCHING: Sarawak welcomes the Federal Government's openness to explore a decentralised model for airport development.
The model is part of ongoing discussions on the proposed New Kuching International Airport (NKIA).
State Transport Minister Datuk Seri Lee Kim Shin said this was among the key outcomes of a courtesy call on his federal counterpart Anthony Loke in Putrajaya on Tuesday (May 26).
"The decentralised approach under consideration for NKIA reflects a more collaborative model of development," Lee said in a statement on Friday (May 29).
"It allows the Sarawak government to play a greater role in the planning and implementation of the project while supporting Sarawak’s long-term aviation and economic aspirations," he added.
He said the state government remained committed to strengthening Sarawak's aviation infrastructure to support future economic growth and growing passenger demand.
"The proposed NKIA is part of Sarawak’s long-term vision to strengthen our position as a regional aviation hub and improve connectivity for both passengers and cargo movement," he said.
The meeting also covered rising domestic airfares in Sarawak, along with a proposal to revive three internal routes under the rural air services' public service obligation (PSO) framework.
The affected routes are Kuching-Sibu, Kuching-Bintulu and Kuching-Miri.
The discussion included the possibility of introducing an airfare cap mechanism for these routes.
Lee said this could help improve connectivity and ease the financial burden of Sarawakians travelling within the state.
"Air connectivity is extremely important for Sarawak due to our geographical size and dispersed population," he said.
"Reviving these routes under the PSO framework could help make domestic travel more affordable and accessible for the people," he added.
In response, Loke said state-owned AirBorneo could explore operating the routes commercially using its available ATR72 aircraft.
Meanwhile, Lee announced that additional flights between Miri and Bario have been approved in conjunction with Pesta Nukenen to cater for the expected increase in travel demand.
The food and cultural festival takes place in July.
"I hope more visitors will take the opportunity to visit Bario and experience its unique culture, scenic highland environment and local hospitality," he said.
