KUCHING: Sarawak is not able to control the reported sky-high airfares which have stunned Malaysians after the 15th General Election (GE15) dates were announced yesterday (Oct 20).
Deputy Premier Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian when met by reporters last night, said unless the state has its own airline, there was little that the state could do to help Sarawakians return to vote.
“It’s very unfortunate the government does not run its own airline because all these airlines are owned by private entities. The question is why do they increase the fares and what is (their) national responsibility?
“I do not know (the answer) unless the Sarawak government starts our own airlines.
“This issue is something that we are not able to control,” he said after officiating the lighting up of Deepavali Lights Decoration at the White Cat Statue in Padungan.
The Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) president also stated that it will be up to the new MPs in future to talk about postal vote in the country because the current postal vote is only for selected countries.
“It is up to the new MPs to talk about this, whether we want to exercise postal voting in the country like we are now in Malaysia. That is all I can say because I’m not even an MP,” he said.
Earlier, MalayMail reported there was an incredible surge in prices of flight tickets during the election weekend just minutes after the Election Commission (EC) announced the GE15 polling dates.
Many have gone to social media and expressed their disappointment with the expensive flight tickets to return to their hometowns to exercise their rights.
