Peter, founder of the non-governmental organisation Saya Anak Sarawak, said Air Borneo should focus on addressing the immediate needs of communities in Sarawak and Sabah.
KUCHING: Social activist Peter John Jaban has called on state-owned carrier Air Borneo to prioritise resolving flight connectivity issues and rising airfares in Sarawak, saying the challenges are affecting a large number of people across the state.
Peter, founder of the non-governmental organisation Saya Anak Sarawak, said Air Borneo should focus on addressing the immediate needs of communities in Sarawak and Sabah following its takeover of regional airline operations from MASwings.
“Air Borneo must give top priority to the needs of ordinary people in Sarawak and Sabah as it has assumed the role previously played by MASwings.
“Air travel in Sarawak and Sabah is not a luxury. It is a basic necessity and often the fastest means of transportation across these two large states.
“Air Borneo should place the highest priority on resolving the issues of expensive airfares and insufficient flight frequencies because it is part of its responsibility to the people,” he said in a statement.
Peter argued that affordable air travel and dependable flight services are matters of social equity for residents in East Malaysia, particularly those who rely on air transport to travel between towns and rural areas.
He also urged the airline to focus on strengthening domestic connectivity before expanding attention to international routes.
His comments come after Abang Johari Openg recently acknowledged public concerns over flight shortages and increasing ticket prices, particularly during the recent Gawai Dayak festive season.
The Sarawak Premier said Air Borneo requires additional time to address the challenges as the airline continues its transition following the takeover from MASwings.
“I hope that by next year we will be able to resolve the flight issues we are facing today.
“The management of Air Borneo is still in a transitional stage after the state government assumed control of the airline.
“Hopefully by next Gawai there will be more Air Borneo flights within Sarawak and from other states into Sarawak.
“We may need to introduce a subsidy mechanism to help reduce fares.
“Give Air Borneo more time to solve these issues as its management remains in transition,” he said during a Gawai Dayak open house at the UNIFOR Complex in Kuching.
Public frustration has grown in recent weeks amid reports of limited flight availability and sharply higher ticket prices on several domestic routes.
Travellers have reported fares approaching RM1,000 on routes such as Kuching–Sibu and Kuching–Miri during peak travel periods.
Abang Johari attributed part of the increase in airfares to rising global aviation fuel costs and broader international market developments.
Air Borneo officially assumed full operations from MASwings on Jan 1 following the Sarawak government’s acquisition of the regional carrier from Malaysia Airlines.
At the time of the transition, Air Borneo stated that existing MASwings routes and fare structures would initially remain unchanged to ensure continuity of services across the network.
The airline has since indicated that any future fare adjustments would depend on operational requirements and ongoing discussions relating to regional air service arrangements.
