MIRI: Singapore’s Scoot Tiger Air made its maiden flight to the city on Wednesday, making it the first foreign airline to fly here direct from the island republic after the Covid-19 pandemic had brought everything to a near standstill.
The A320 aircraft carrying 22 passengers arrived to a water cannon salute in Miri Airport at about 2.20pm and left with 29 passengers on board for Singapore at 3pm.
Despite the modest start to direct services between Miri and Singapore, state Transport Minister Datuk Seri Lee Kim Shin heralded it as the beginning of a new chapter in their relationship, the origins of which can be traced back to colonial times.
Lee believed it will not only be a boost to Miri’s tourism industry but also prove beneficial to business and investment.
“Miri has a lot to offer in terms of tourism and business activities, especially oil and gas and in the agricultural sector. I sincerely hope that Scoot will work closely with our Sarawak Tourism Board, tourism industry players, business communities and Sarawak Trade and Tourism Office in Singapore to promote this new route,” he said.
“To further promote bilateral business and investment opportunities, it is imperative to improve the transportation sector between Singapore and Sarawak. More regular, reliable, efficient and competitive air connectivity is one area that has to be focused on, apart from shipping.”
With life slowly returning to normalcy, there is already indication that things may be looking up with Malaysia Airports Sdn Bhd recording a three-fold increase in passenger traffic in Miri this January.
According to its acting senior general manager, Kamaruzzaman Razali, it recorded a total 120, 078 travellers using Miri Airport compared to only 39,241 in the same moonth the previous year (2021).
Lee meanwhile also pointed to Singapore being one of Sarawak’s key trading partners, saying before the Covid-19 pandemic, the state’s exports to Singapore in 2019 amounted to RM1.28 billion while imports from the republic stood at RM1.45 billion.
“In 2020, Sarawak exports to Singapore decreased to RM1.01 billion and imports from the republic also decreased to around RM1.16 billion,” he revealed.
Earlier, Lee along with Assistant Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Datuk Sebastian Ting Chiew Yew, Miri Mayor Adam Yii Siew Sang cum Pujut assemblyman, Permanent secretary of MOTS Datu Buckland Bangik, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak Hii Chang Kee, Kamaruzzaman and Miri Airport Manager Jauhari Abdullah greeted passengers of the Scoot Tiger Air upon their arrival here.
