SIBU: The issue of excessively high airfares for intra-Sarawak flights has recently drawn responses from Sarawak Democratic Action Party (DAP) leaders.
Senator Robert Lau Hui Yew said that these responses defended the federal Transport Ministry while attempting to shift attention towards the Sarawak Government by questioning the operations of AirBorneo.
“This approach misses the central issue. The key question is whether a service provider in a monopolistic position should be allowed to charge fares without reasonable limits. Such a situation should not be permitted.
“It is the responsibility of the federal government – specifically the Transport Ministry – to intervene where necessary to prevent the abuse of market dominance and to ensure fair pricing for consumers,” he said in a press statement today (April 19).
Pointing out that Sarawak faces unique structural challenges, Lau said that, unlike Peninsular Malaysia, it has no rail network, and its road infrastructure is not comparable in terms of connectivity and convenience.
As such, he stressed that air travel is not a luxury but an essential mode of transportation for many Sarawakians.
The Sarawak Government, he added, has taken proactive steps using its own funds to address these challenges, including funding the construction of coastal trunk roads and more than 20 bridges to improve road connectivity.
In addition, he said it is investing in air connectivity through AirBorneo and by taking over the rural air service.
He noted that the current setup of AirBorneo is service-oriented, focused on serving rural communities in Sarawak rather than operating on a purely commercial basis.
Noting that the Sarawak Government is now working to expand AirBorneo into commercial routes, including overseas destinations, he said this process requires time and significant investment to build up capacity.
He pointed out that comparing AirBorneo with AirAsia and claiming that it is charging exorbitant fares while enjoying a monopoly in Sarawak misses the point entirely.
Explaining that the national airline, MAS, ceased servicing intra-Sarawak routes several years ago, he said that this allowed AirAsia to become the dominant – and essentially monopolistic – service provider.
However, he added that this dominance does not give it a licence to charge exorbitant prices.
He said it would be more appropriate for DAP to question why MAS has not been asked to recommence domestic flights within Sarawak, rather than criticising the Sarawak Government, which is taking the right steps by establishing and developing AirBorneo.
It is therefore unfortunate, he said, that Sarawak DAP has chosen to criticise the Sarawak Government in a way that appears to deflect attention from the role and responsibility of the federal Ministry of Transport.
“Why is Sarawak DAP so defensive of the federal Ministry of Transport? I believe it is because the federal Minister of Transport is the national DAP leader. Sarawak DAP appears to have prioritised defending its national leader from criticism, even though the issue is not a party-political matter.
“It has failed to view the issue as one that concerns the people and the economy of Malaysia in general, and Sarawak in particular.
“Sarawak is an equal partner in the Federation of Malaysia and deserves fair attention and meaningful support from the federal government.
“This matter should not be framed as a political contest between a Sarawak-based political party and a national political party leader who happens to helm a federal ministry,” Lau added.
