SIBU: The air connectivity between here and Kota Kinabalu needs to be strengthened in view of the ‘Visit Sibu Year 2017’ (VSY 2017) campaign.
According to Dudong assemblyman Datuk Tiong Thai King, the route is served by MASwings – the community carrier under Malaysia Airlines.
In this respect, he assured all that he would do his level best – in both his capacities as the people’s elected representatives and Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) chairman – to request for MASwings to increase the frequency of flights for the Sibu-Kota Kinabalu sector.
“(Another) alternative (is to) approach AirAsia to service this important sector,” Tiong told reporters at Wisma Sanyan here yesterday.
The assemblyman observed that although MASwings had been serving the route for almost 10 years, it still kept the same level of service throughout.
For the record, AirAsia discontinued its direct Sibu-Kota Kinabalu route in August 2009 after operating for only four months. MASwings, on the other hand, holds the exclusive rights to handle rural flight routes by the government.
On the petition seeking 300,000 signatures to convince airlines and the Ministry of Transport of the need for an open sky policy launched here on Jan 16 this year, Tiong said this would be submitted to the ministry soon – adding that there were several issues to be sorted out first.
The campaign was a joint project by SMC and the United People’s Party (UPP) Central Region, which comprises seven party branches – Bawang Assan, Pelawan, Dudong, Bukit Assek, Sarikei, Meradong and Kanowit.
Second Finance Minister Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh was quoted at the petition launch as having said that air connectivity was crucial in efforts of making this town become an educational hub and tourism centre for the central region.
On a different matter, Tiong said SMC had not received any complaint pertaining to backyard burning at residential areas.
On whether the council would ‘act tough’ against those conducting this type of open burning, Tiong said such matter would fall under the purview of the Department of Environment.
However, he assured the local folk that SMC officials would stop anyone from conducting backyard open burning should they come across into one.
“We are monitoring the situation,” he said.