Tourism Minister in talks with Scoot Airlines to re-establish direct Singapore-Bintulu route

Tiong (left) exchanging souvenirs with Scoot Airlines' chief commercial officer Chan. Photo credit: Facebook / Dato' Seri Tiong King Sing
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by DayakDaily Team

KUCHING, May 15: Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing is pushing for the revival of a direct Singapore–Bintulu flight route by engaging in talks with Scoot Airlines to explore the possibility of reintroducing the service.

In a Facebook post following a meeting with Scoot Airline’s chief commercial officer Calvin Chan and his team, Tiong emphasised the strategic importance of re-establishing a direct Singapore–Bintulu route, which was previously operated by other carriers before the pandemic but has yet to resume.

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“I encouraged Scoot Airline to explore the possibility of introducing this as a new service. Bintulu Airport serves as a key gateway to Samalaju Industrial Park, a major heavy industry zone located within the greater Bintulu area but outside the town centre.

“The area attracts a significant number of international professionals, business travellers, and visitors,” he said.

Tiong, who is also Bintulu MP, pointed out that establishing this direct route would greatly enhance convenience for travellers, who currently need to transit via Miri, Kuching, or Sibu.

Aside from that, he shared that the two parties discussed the potential to increase the frequency of Scoot’s Singapore–Langkawi flights as well as improving air connectivity to Tawau, Sabah.

He highlighted the growing demand for improved air connectivity to Tawau, Sabah, given the steady rise in visitors heading to Semporna—an increasingly popular destination that lacks its own airport—underscoring the need to strengthen links into the region via Tawau.

Tiong further urged Tourism Malaysia and Scoot Airline to expedite the formalisation of the Memorandum of Cooperation between Scoot and Tourism Malaysia, to leverage Singapore’s strategic position as Asean’s financial and aviation hub.

“Through stronger collaboration and enhanced connectivity, we can attract more international visitors to Malaysia by offering smoother entry points and seamless travel experiences.”

He reiterated that these efforts are in line with the Ministry’s ongoing efforts of positioning Malaysia as a preferred, accessible, and well-connected destination for global travellers.– DayakDaily

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