KOTA KINABALU: Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Abdul Rahim Bakri is urging Malaysia Airlines (MAS) and AirAsia to resume or operate direct flights from Kota Kinabalu to Balikpapan and vice-versa.In making the call, he said a direct flight service between the two cities is vital to bolster air linkages in the region, particularly in the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-the Philippines East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA).
“Without the service, there is a loop as far as air connectivity within the BIMP-EAGA is concerned.
“That’s why the ministry is hoping MAS, AirAsia or even MASwings, will reinstate the Kota Kinabalu-Balikpapan flight,” he said after presenting a talk on International Relations at the Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) main campus in Likas, near here yesterday.
MAS launched its scheduled service between Kota Kinabalu and Balikpapan in East Kalimantan on July 5, 2003.
It was later stopped due to low passenger volume.
Abdul Rahim suggested that the Malaysian-based airlines work together with Indonesian airline companies to market and promote the service, thus improving passenger volume.
“I think the decision to stop the direct flights should be reviewed. We need this service to improve the movement of people within the BIMP-EAGA.
“Furthermore, Kota Kinabalu can be considered a centre for the BIMP-EAGA development since it is close to Indonesia, the Philippines and Brunei, among others,” he said.
He also said if MAS and AirAsia were not interested in resuming the Kota Kinabalu-Balikpapan flight, Indonesian airlines’, including Batavia Air might be offered the opportunity to do so.
Abdul Rahim said a key issue discussed during the BIMP-EAGA Transport Ministers meeting in Manado, Indonesia recently, was the possible steps to improve further air connectivity within the BIMP-EAGA region.
In this respect, he also hoped that the direct flight between Kota Kinabalu and Davao, Mindanao would be available in future.
Touching on transportation development within the BIMP-EAGA region, Abdul Rahim said the grouping had achieved significant success in terms of land and maritime transport.
“For example, a ferry service between Muara in Brunei and Menumbok, Sabah was commissioned recently, paving the way for an improved sea link.
“For tourists, it’s an easy link between the two countries and this augurs well for the tourism industry of both countries. In fact, this is the result of the initiatives by the BIMP-EAGA grouping,” he explained.
Abdul Rahim said the road project linking Sabah and Brunei was also in the pipeline and would take off, once matters concerning the building of a bridge is finalised. —Bernama