Datuk Lee Kim Shin.
MIRI: The state government has called on MASkargo and Pos Aviation to step in and assist with issues such as cargo consignments that need to be urgently delivered to Sarawak being stuck in Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).
The cargo consignments include essentials such as masks and medical aid from China and are stuck in KLIA due to backlog arising from Air Asia flight cancellations.
Transport Minister Datuk Lee Kim Shin said that he had called up Malaysia Airport Berhad, MASKargo and Pos Aviation to request them to give priority in sending the essential medical supplies and urgent items to Sarawak as the state battles the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.
“Among these essential items are medical supplies and aid from China for Sarawak,“ he told The Borneo Post earlier today, after he received several complaints from the public.
Air Asia had announced the cancellation of all inbound and outbound flights to Miri yesterday to comply with the Movement Control Order (MCO), with the exception of a daily flight to Kuching and Kota Kinabalu. All other flights to Sabah and Sarawak from West Malaysia and other destinations were also cancelled.
Lee added that he had spoken to the Consul General of China in Sarawak and was informed that the aid from China was “held up”, with some of the supplies still in China due to connectivity issues.
“There are some urgent consignments such as medical supplies and other items that must be sent urgently. Pos Aviation has indicated that it is willing to mount extra flights to Sarawak if there is a feasible volume of cargo waiting to be flown to the state,” he said.
Meanwhile, Lee urged any importers that have goods stranded in KLIA to get in touch with both MASKargo and Pos Aviation.