Sibu-KK route must stay: Lau

Deputy minister leaving no stone unturned to make sure AirAsia flights between the two points are maintained
SIBU: Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Robert Lau yesterday promised to stick his neck out and ensure the AirAsia Sibu-Kota Kinabalu route stays.
“Tomorrow (Wednesday), I will bring up the matter during the weekly cabinet meeting.
“Hopefully, we can reach a solution to that problem as soon as possible,” he said when members of the Federation of Chinese Association Sarawak, led by their president Datuk Lau Cheng Kiong, called on him and presented a memorandum.
Among others, the memorandum said AirAsia had provided a much better alternative to MASwings and the people would very much like to see AirAsia continue to operate the Sibu-KK route.
In addition, the memorandum also lamented the expensive freight charges of MASwings over the Sibu-Kuching, Sibu-Miri, Miri-Limbang and Sibu-KK routes and hoped the Transport Ministry would review the matter.
Lau, who is Sibu MP, said he was aware of the popularity of AirAsia’s Sibu-KK route since it started last April.
“In view of its popularity, I will ensure that we will reach a solution with regard to the Sibu-KK route,” he said.
Lau said discussion with the Transport Minister Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat on the matter was ongoing, and he had instructed the department in his ministry which controls the airlines to review the contract between MASwings and the Transport Ministry over the rural air service in Sabah and Sarawak.
According to Lau, FAX initially took over the rural air service, but did not give satisfactory service and eventually gave up the sector.
The government then negotiated with MAS to continue servicing the routes and subsequently, MAS came up with several conditions.
A contract signed between MAS and the ministry in October 2007 had given the national carrier the rights to all seven routes in the two states, some of which would be exclusive to it.
“The contract is for 10 years. The government will also provide an annual subsidy of RM8 million to MAS,” he said.
Every year MAS and AirAsia have to send their proposed flight schedules to the ministry for approval.
“Recently when it did so, AirAsia also slipped in its application to serve the Sibu/Kota Kinabalu route which was approved,” Lau said.
AirAsia chief executive officer Datuk Seri Tony Fernandes had said recently that AirAsia will have to terminate its direct flight from Sibu to Kota Kinabalu from Oct 25 because it has been forced to do so.
AirAsia flies from Sibu to Kota Kinabalu daily, using Airbus 320 which has a capacity of 180 passengers.
According to a source, since AirAsia started operating the Sibu-KK route in April this year, the demand had been very good with passenger load for each flight.
This could have prompted MAS to act and when it was discovered that AirAsia was receiving popular demand, MAS lodged a complaint with the government.
On the airstrip in Kapit, Lau said the existing runway was no longer suitable for aircraft landing.
He said he had already asked Kapit MP Alexander Nanta to find a new site to build another runway.
“Once he comes up with a proper site, then we will work together for Kapit to have an airstrip as Kapit deserves to have the air services, he said.

Source : The Borneo Post