Wong shows members of the media the flight schedule via his phone, which indicates that the loss of the 90-minute direct flight to Kota Kinabalu would force Sibu travellers to transit via Kuching, potentially adding five hours or more to that journey. — Photo by Peter Boon
SIBU (May 10): A local Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) leader has questioned the effectiveness of Sibu MP Oscar Ling as an elected people’s representative, following AirAsia’s reported decision to discontinue the Sibu-Kota Kinabalu (SBW-BKI) direct route.
SUPP Dudong chairman Wong Ching Yong claimed that the parliamentarian had failed to address both the soaring airfares and the possible cancellation of the vital direct route, exposing the latter’s inability of leveraging his position within the federal government to safeguard Sibu’s air connectivity.
“Aviation is a federal matter, and any crisis involving flight services falls squarely on the shoulders of the member of Parliament.
“Oscar Ling’s party, the DAP (Democratic Action Party), holds 40 seats (in Dewan Rakyat), representing the largest bloc in the government, and the Transport Minister, Anthony Loke, is from his own party.
“Why, then, is our MP so powerless?” Wong questioned.
He further criticised Ling of shifting the goalposts by hiding behind his special assistant’s press statements to deflect blame onto the Sarawak government.
“If federal issues arise and the DAP can only point fingers at the state, what is the purpose of sending Oscar Ling to Parliament?”
Wong stressed that the SBW-BKI direct route was a hard-won achievement by the late Datuk Robert Lau in 2009.
He added that as the then-deputy transport minister from SUPP, Lau had taken full ownership of his federal portfolio to establish the link.
“Regrettably, with his passing on April 9, 2010, the people of Sibu lost a truly dedicated leader who was both outspoken and practical, and fearlessly championed their interests at the federal level.
“If the DAP had shown even a fraction of that accountability over the past decade, Sibu wouldn’t be in this predicament.
“Instead, when fares soared, Ling defended the airlines’ ‘commercial logic’ – marking a complete 180-degree turn from his stance when he was in the opposition.”
Wong lamented that the loss of the 90-minute direct flight to Kota Kinabalu would force Sibu travellers to transit via Kuching, potentially adding five hours or more to that journey.
He further slammed Ling for failing to verify this with Loke immediately to fight for the people’s right to direct travel.
“The people of Sibu did not elect a representative to stand on the side of corporations, or to hide behind assistants.
“We need an MP who acts, not one who makes excuses,” stressed Wong.
Earlier, Wong joined the ‘Kopitiam Talk’ mobile outreach held near Medan Mall here on Saturday, jointly carried out by SUPP Dudong and SUPP Sibu Jaya.
The session was also joined by SUPP Dudong vice-chairman Dr Wong Chya Wei and SUPP Sibu Jaya chief Kapitan Kong Sing Ping.