KUALA LUMPUR: The government is planning to subsidise flight tickets during the upcoming festive season, said Transport Minister Anthony Loke.
"I will be making an announcement for the festive season. We have received allocations for this period," Loke said at a press conference on Rapid KL's operations post-2025 Budget here today.
He did not specify when the announcement would be made.
Addressing concerns about high flight ticket prices between Sabah and the Peninsular compared to international fares, Loke urged the public not to focus on a single airline and emphasised the importance of exploring alternatives.
"We need to make comparisons. Usually, people only refer to one source. On the same day, there are different times and other airlines may offer cheaper tickets.
"When tickets are bought at the last minute, if all airlines have sold out, of course, the prices will be high. We should compare with other airlines; there may be more value-for-money and lower ticket options available," he added.
Previously, a Sabah Member of Parliament raised concerns about the high cost of flight tickets from the state to Peninsular Malaysia.
Kinabatangan MP Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin said that this week, the price of an economy class one-way ticket reached RM1,700, substantially higher than some international flights.
"To Singapore and the Philippines, tickets cost only RM700, to Indonesia, it's RM600, yet to Sabah it's RM1,700. This is outrageous," he said during his debate on the Supply Bill 2025 in the Dewan Rakyat on Wednesday.
Bung Moktar urged the transport minister to address the issue, stressing the burden it places on the people of Sabah, particularly those travelling to the peninsula for business and other purposes.