Kota Kinabalu: Sabah Bersatu wants Pakatan Harapan (PH) to prove its commitment in realising the RM199 airfare to Sabah and vice versa as promised in its general election manifesto.
Sabah Bersatu Deputy Chief Aksyah Nasrah said PH had made the electoral promise to fulfil this if the coalition were to take over the federal government.
He said it was Upko President Datuk Ewon Benedick who had noted the manifesto when he was campaigning for the Penampang seat during the parliamentary election last year.
Upko is a component of PH.
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“When the airfare surged during the recent Hari Raya holidays, Benedict failed to come forward to solve the problem, making it quite difficult for Sabahans to return for the holidays,” he said in a statement, Wednesday.
Expressing disappointment, Aksyah proposed that the RM199 should be a fixed airfare for flights between Kuala Lumpur and Sabah or Sarawak, and not only be introduced during the festive season.
The RM199 airfare was included in the PH election manifesto as the Kembara Siswa programme, which was targeted at students wanting to return home between the peninsula and Sabah or Sarawak.
Aksyah suggested that the Government discuss with airline companies so ticket prices can be regulated, especially during the festive season, for Sabahans and Sarawakians working in the peninsula.
“Perhaps the time has come for the State Government to participate in the commercial aviation industry by giving special prices to the people of Sabah.
“This matter is not something that is impossible to implement because Sabah has a source of income which, if managed well, will provide maximum benefits to the people.
“With the existence of a commercial airline owned by the State Government, not only will it be able to solve this problem, but it will certainly be able to provide an overflow of profit chains to Sabah in various sectors,” he said.
Aksyah also expressed sympathy to Sabahans from various backgrounds, especially those working or studying in the peninsula and Sarawak who were unable to return to celebrate Hari Raya Aidilfitri with their families last month.
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