KUCHING: The Melaka government has high hopes of a direct flight between Kuching and Melaka for a better link between the two states.Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Mohd Rustam said a direct flight between the two states was vital to speed up integration between the people of Sarawak and the peninsula – Melaka in particular.
Paying a courtesy call on Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud at his office in Wisma Bapa Malaysia, Petra Jaya, Ali told reporters he hoped the inaugural flight from Kuching to Melaka could start off by flying the Sarawak Malaysian Games (Sukma) participants.
“Sarawak is sending a big contingent to the 13th Sukma in Melaka and it is our hope that AirAsia can arrange direct flights from Kuching to Melaka for the athletes and officials,” he said.
He said Melaka International Airport, completed two months ago, could now take Boeing 737 and Airbus.
“I have forwarded a request to Air Asia about a year ago to provide a direct flight from Melaka-Kuching and Kuching-Melaka.
“Datuk Tony Fernandes (AirAsia CEO) informed that he will make the schedules for suitable destinations and I hope he will include Kuching and Kota Kinabalu as the new routes to Melaka, besides Melaka to Sumatera, which happens to be a very vibrant health tourism destination these days,” he added.
According to Ali, at the moment only Riau Air operates direct flight between Pekan Baru, Riau and Melaka International Airport. He said apart from promoting domestic tourism, a direct link between Melaka and Kuching would encourage a better link and cooperation between the two states in various areas, including business joint venture.
“As for Melaka, we want to continue to invest in the plantation industry in Sarawak. Because of that I am grateful to Pehin Sri Abdul Taib for inviting Melaka to invest in Sarawak,” he said.
Ali said the other area where Sarawak and Melaka could establish a business partnership would be in renewable energy.
“As we know, Sun Power, a company from US is investing RM2.2 billion to develop a solar power cells plant in Melaka. The first phase of the project is almost completed; production expected to start this September and by end of this year, we are expecting to engage about 4,000, of which 600 will be engineers,” he said.
He said the opening of the mega solar power cells plant in Melaka would provide opportunities for other states to act as support industry to Sun Power.
“For the time being we are getting solar panel from the Philippines and it will be better if we have our own supporting plant. I am glad that the Sarawak Chief Minister has indicated his readiness to participate in this area, and this is good because we can always form a partnership,” he said.
Earlier, Ali and a delegation from Melaka met Taib and other state officials to promote the Melaka 13th Sukma to be held from June 10 to 19.