KUCHING, May 17: Air travel is no longer a luxury but a necessity, says Kota Sentosa assemblyman Wilfred Yap.
As such, he believes that it is imperative for the Sarawak Transport Ministry to impress upon the Federal Transport Ministry not to drag its feet in approving the licence for the proposed boutique airline to allow it to take to the skies soonest.
“It is beyond a shadow of doubt that every Sarawakian wants affordable airfares. It is therefore welcome news to many Sarawakians to hear that our YAB Prime Minister had in principle agreed to Sarawak’s proposal to establish its own boutique airline to boost air connectivity to Sarawak at affordable prices,” said Yap when debating on the Sarawak Governor’s speech at the Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting at DUN Complex here today.
Yap said the setting up of a boutique airline not only serves to improve Sarawak’s air connectivity which is vital for Sarawak’s domestic tourism sector, but international tourists could also fly directly to Sarawak, bypassing Kuala Lumpur.
Yap said Sarawak has a lot to offer international tourists when it comes to tourism attractions with the region’s rich biodiversity and diverse cultures. The main problem is Sarawak’s lack of air connectivity.
He noted more international tourists to Sarawak would mean more business for Sarawak’s domestic tourism players which include accommodation providers, food and beverage operators and bring additional revenue to Sarawak.
“This boutique airline could help to mitigate high airfares especially during festive seasons which would benefit Sarawakians returning home to celebrate with their families.
“I believe that with proper management, planning and strategy, a boutique airline operated under the purview of the Sarawak government would provide an avenue to intervene to stabilise the airfares for flights to and from Sarawak,” Yap added. — DayakDaily
