KUCHING: The Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDNHEP) is serious about the issue of airline ticket prices which burdens consumers, especially on domestic flights to and from the Peninsula to Sarawak.
Its minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi said the prices of flight tickets always skyrocketed before a festive season.
“This issue is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Transport Malaysia (MOT) together with the Malaysian Aviation Commission (MAVCOM).
“Therefore, we have not yet made a decision on imposing a certain ceiling or limit on the prices of domestic flight tickets to and from the Peninsula to Sarawak so far,” he told a press conference after a visit in conjunction with the implementation of the Gawai 2022 Maximum Price Scheme at Central Cold storage Kuching (CCK) Stutong today.
Nanta stressed that his ministry would always engage with the ministries and agencies responsible for addressing the problem.
According to media reports yesterday, the still expensive flight ticket prices are among the factors why most Sarawakians in the Peninsula, especially in Johor, do not return to their hometowns to celebrate Gawai Day this Wednesday.
Meanwhile, commenting on the review of the implementation of the Gawai Festive Season Maximum Price Scheme, Nanta said he was satisfied that traders were selling goods at lower prices than the ceiling price.
“The price of standard chicken, for example, is sold at RM8.99 per kilogram compared to the ceiling price of RM9.30,” he said.
At the same time, Nanta congratulated and thanked CCK Stutong for selling chicken and other necessities lower than the market price.
According to him, SHMMP Hari Gawai was implemented for seven days from May 27 to June 4.
A total of eight items of the Gawai Day Celebration Maximum Price Scheme for Miri, namely, live old chicken, chicken wings, garlic (China) and imported round cabbage (Indonesia and China do not include Beijing cabbage.
Also included in the list are dried chillies, live pigs (controlled at the farm level only), pork (stomach) and pork (meat and fat).
