SIBU: The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC) is conducting final-stage studies to secure direct international flights to Sibu and Bintulu.
Its Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing said that so far, only one new international flight has been confirmed, connecting Yunan to Kuching.
“For Sibu and Bintulu we recommend a direct flight from Fuzhou. We suggest but it has not been finalised yet.
“But now there are two to three direct international flights to Kuching that we want to go to Sibu and also include Bintulu,” he said when met by the media after attending the MOTAC Programme with the Community @ Bawang Assan at Catherine Tamoh’s longhouse, Sungai Aup here, today (June 3).
Tiong, who is also Bintulu MP, said he suggested smaller aeroplanes should be used to meet the standards of the airports in Sibu and Bintulu, stressing that it is still in the final stages of research before being proposed.
“The aeroplane we are proposing is just an Airbus A320 or something similar,” he stated.
The Dudong assemblyman also noted that the central region has a significant population of Fuzhou ethnic Chinese, making the international flight highly appropriate.
“We at the ministry, propose some views to the state ministry, look at them together and when there is a decision we make together, if there is no decision yet, it cannot be disclosed in detail,” he stressed.
When asked about efforts to boost the tourism sector in Sibu, Tiong said he would use his ministry’s allocation, if available, to help upgrade longhouses.
He added that his ministry would also study various approaches and discuss with the community to develop local tourism.
Among those present at the event were Dewan Rakyat deputy speaker Alice Lau Kiong Yieng, Bawang Assan assemblyman Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh, Sibu MP Oscar Ling Chai Yew, Political Secretary to the Premier Joshua Ting Fu Ying, Sibu Division Iban Community Chief Stanley Gramong and Tuai Rumah Catherine Tamoh.
