KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom) is committed to ensuring that the aviation industry in Sabah and Sarawak will be provided with the economic needs of the two states.
For the two states to grow and become more competitive regionally, measures must be implemented to support the growth, Mavcom said in a statement yesterday.
“Since air connectivity is rapidly becoming an integral contributor to this economic growth, the commission is committed to ensuring that the aviation industry will grow to facilitate trade and tourism development for Sabah and Sarawak.
“The Rural Air Services (RAS) programme is important for the economic growth both states, particularly given that the programme provides a key service to the communities to not only obtain basic necessities, but also empowers small businesses to grow and allows children from these communities to have access to better education,” it said.
Mavcom said the Ministry of Transport recently announced that it had inked an agreement with MASwings to operate 40 RAS routes in Sabah and Sarawak (for the 2019–2024 period) under a new Public Service Obligation agreement.
“RAS is important as air transport plays a crucial role in connecting people in rural areas with other parts of the country.
“Given the clear importance of RAS, the commission will continue to carefully monitor operations, engage with various local stakeholders and look for further opportunities for it to better serve the communities of Sabah and Sarawak,” it added. – Bernama
