SABAH Deputy Chief Minister Bung Moktar Radin has urged the Transport Ministry to control the prices of flights between Sabah, Sarawak and the peninsula ahead of election day.

Bung, who is also the state Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman, said that without controls, it would be difficult for Sabah and Sarawak folk on the peninsula and vice versa, to travel home to vote as ticket prices were already increasing.

He said asking airlines to lower airfares was also crucial to ensure that cheaper tickets would encourage more Malaysians to return home to cast their vote.

“Round trip airfares, especially between Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia, are increasing two to three days before polling day. This is a worrying trend.

“This situation is detrimental to the country, especially affecting young voters, as airfares are expensive,” he said in a statement today.

Meanwhile, Markas Siswa Siswi Islam Sabah (Marsis) and Gabungan Mahasiswa Islam SeMalaysia Sabah (Gamis) said in a statement yesterday that Sabah students studying on the peninsula could not afford the fare.

Checks on the airlines found that round-trip ticket prices between Kota Kinabalu and Kuala Lumpur for November 18-19 ranged from RM400 to RM700, depending on the time, package and airline.

Bung suggested the Election Commission (EC) include young people as early or postal voters to ensure that they do not miss out on their democratic rights.

“The EC must find a way to make it easier for students or young voters to fulfil their responsibilities and one of the best ways is to include them as early voters or postal voters,” he said. – Bernama, October 26, 2022.