PETRA JAYA: Sarawak has expressed disagreement with the decision of three airline companies to stop all flights between the state and Peninsular Malaysia beginning Wednesday, until end of April.
State Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said such decision could lead to the increase in the prices of goods in the state since there were items which are sourced and flown in from the peninsula.
“We were informed by MAS (Malaysia Airlines Bhd), AirAsia (AirAsia Group Bhd) and Malindo (Malindo Airways Sdn Bhd) that they had cancelled flights to Sarawak from April 15 until April 30.
“This means that there will be no flights flying between Sarawak and the peninsula for two weeks beginning Wednesday.
“The Sarawak Disaster Management Committee does not agree with such decision and is of the opinion flights between the peninsula and Sarawak are necessary for urgent travel needs,” Abdul Karim, who is also the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee deputy chairman, said in a press conference at Wisma Bapa Malaysia here today.
The committee, said Abdul Karim, has instructed the Sarawak Transport Ministry to discuss the matter with its counterpart at the federal level.
“You must understand that the flights are not only transporting people but also goods such as face masks, foods and other necessary items.
“The cancellation of flights will result in the shortage of these items in the state. And when there is shortage of supply of these items, the prices of these goods will likely increase.
“This is my opinion,” said Abdul Karim.
The cancellation of these flights, he said, would also trigger anxiety among the people whose family members are working or studying in the peninsula and vice-versa.
“We are on an island and people will not be able to travel if there is an emergency such as death in the family when there are no flights.
“I also fear that such decision will result in the people (in Sarawak or the peninsula) rushing to the airport and fly back to the respective hometowns before Wednesday,” he said.
Although he understand that the cancellation of flights is one of the measures introduced to break the chain of the Covid-19 transmission, Abdul Karim said, the matter could be prevented with strict standard operation procedure in place for travellers.