Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah
Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh
SIBU: Transport Minister Anthony Loke’s announcement that AirAsia Group Bhd is set to take over the Kota Kinabalu (KK)-Sibu and KK-Bintulu routes from MASwings Sdn Bhd starting January 2019 is welcome news to residents of both towns.
In lauding the move, Minister of International Trade and E-Commerce and Second Finance Minister Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh said it will help Sibu’s tourism industry.
“We can tap on Sabah tourism industry. They have sizeable flow of tourists from China, Taiwan and South Korea. AirAsia aircraft would be able to take in bigger load of passengers and it is more comfortable flight. It is good news.
“Thank you Tan Sri Tony Fernandes (AirAsia group chief executive officer) for his personal attention to the needs of Sibu,” added Wong.
For the record, AirAsia discontinued the Sibu-KK route in August 2009 after operating for four months as MASwings had been given exclusive rights by the government to service the rural air routes.
Meanwhile, Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said he has yet to be informed about the matter but pointed out that it is ‘very much welcomed news’ if it is true.
He added that this is the sector which Sibu and Bintulu residents have been asking for.
Sibu Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCCI) president Dr Gregory Hii Sui Cheng described the development as the best news for the day.
He said the availability of AirAsia flights between Sibu and KK should help both business and leisure travellers while contributing to the growth of Sibu’s economy.
Sarawak Central Region Hotel Association chairman Johnny Wong said the long wait for the key route (Sibu-KK) to be served by a bigger plane has finally ended.
Singing the same happy tune was former travel agent Robert Tan who described the news as ‘the biggest ‘angpow’ for 2019’.
“KK is now the third biggest stop over for international flights after Kuala Lumpur and Johor Bahru. But our concern is KK because it affects the locals from connecting their flights to other international destinations like Manila, Hongkong, Taipei and even Tokyo,” Tan said.
In this regard, he asserted that AirAsia should resume this sector because they have plenty of direct flights to Asian countries like Manila, Hong Kong and Taipei.