MUAR MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman has urged the government to subsidise airfares for people returning to Sabah and Sarawak for the festive season.

With Putrajaya spending RM93 million on a four-day free toll initiative, valid for 33 highways, the Muda president said East Malaysians returning home should also enjoy some form of airfare subsidy.

“While we are happy with the (free toll) news, let us never forget our friends in Sabah and Sarawak. They actually benefit less from this announcement.

“The fact is, the airfares (to Sabah and Sarawak) are like going to Australia,” he said in a video posted on his Twitter account.

He brought up the issue of a girl, who had to buy a new ticket, which cost her more than RM600, because she had missed her flight because her transit in Kuala Lumpur was previously delayed.

“We must help our friends in Sabah and Sarawak. They should enjoy the same RM93 million subsidy we enjoy in free tolls,” the former youth and sports minister added.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced free toll for four days starting April 19 till April 21, and April 24.

Syed Saddiq said the government should consider realising the “credit fund” initiative for flight tickets for students as mentioned earlier.

“Help them to be with their families. They are always the ones suffering during the festive season,” he said.

He said the government also needs to be fair and transparent in reporting the latest data on flight capacity as well as the cost needed to help subsidise flights tickets to Sabah and Sarawak.

Syed Saddiq urged the government to find a long-term solution to resolve spiralling airfares to Sabah and Sarawak.

Last month, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said that more than 3,000 flight tickets were snapped up in just two days for those travelling to Sabah and Sarawak for Hari Raya.

He said the number was from the 11,400 low-priced tickets set aside by AirAsia for flights between Kuala Lumpur and seven destinations in Sabah and Sarawak during the festive period.

He said the tickets started from RM249 to Sabah and RM199 to Sarawak. – April 20, 2023.