MALAYSIA Airlines Berhad (MAB) will resume flights from the peninsula to Sabah and Sarawak this week, said Transport Minister Wee Ka Siong.

MAB, including AirAsia, had temporarily stopped its flight operations to East Malaysia due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Wee, in a statement, said he had asked MAB to reconsider resuming its operations, adding the ministry did not issue a directive to shut all domestic flights.

“MAB has agreed to resume flights from Kuala Lumpur to Kuching, Miri and Kota Kinabalu once a week to each destination,” he said in a Facebook post yesterday.

“MASwings will resume domestic operations in East Malaysia with flights between Miri and Bintulu, Kuching and Sibu, and Sibu and Bintulu.

“In the event of increased demand and passengers, MAS is ready to increase its flight frequency”

Meanwhile, Wee said during the movement control order (MCO) period, cargo flights carrying aid and medical supplies continue to operate three times a week from Kuala Lumpur to Kuching, Kota Kinabalu and Labuan.

Yesterday, the Sarawak state government objected to the move to suspend Malaysia Airlines, AirAsia and Malindo Air flights to Sarawak from April 15 to 30.

“The Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) feels that the flights from Peninsular Malaysia to Sarawak and vice-versa are very much needed.

“The disaster committee has directed the state to discuss with the federal Transport Ministry on the matter,” said Sarawak Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Karim Rahman Hamzah. – April 14, 2020.