2022 Budget: Subsidies for airline services to rural areas in East Malaysia, bus and train services in other areas

KUALA LUMPUR: The government will allocate a subsidy of RM209 million for airline services to rural areas in Sabah and Sarawak under the 2022 Budget.

Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz said residents in the rural areas of Sabah and Sarawak had to endure long travel trips so that they could access air transport services from nearby towns.

"The government understands the difficulties faced by the locals such as the residents of Kudat and Long Pasiah in Sabah as well as Ba'kelalan and Bario in Sarawak," he told the Dewan Rakyat when tabling the next year's budget.

Tengku Zafrul said the government would also continue offering subsidies to cover part of the operating costs of less economical train services in rural areas, especially in the eastern region.

"I am interested in the train services known as the Train to Dabong in Kuala Krai, Kelantan, which has gone viral and is the main attraction for ecotourism activities. The ticket prices are reasonable and the Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd (KTMB) trains are always full during the weekends.

"The government has decided to continue with the unlimited monthly MyRail5 Pass initiative for the benefit of school-going children who use the KTMB train services during week days.

"We are also allocating RM80 million under the temporary assistance stage bus fund for stage bus operators and RM115 million for unlimited bus and rail travel pass initiative at a price of RM50 per month for consumers, especially in the Klang Valley," he said.

Keywords: 2022budget
Related Articles