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| Cake cutting ceremony of SAPP's 18th Anniversary |
SAPP president Yong Teck Lee said the state government and Sabah Air Sdn Bhd, in particular, should look at setting up an alternative airline for Sabah.
The best option is to consider working with Royal Brunei Airlines, he added.
“This will be one way of resolving the ongoing airline service problem.
“If an airline were to emerge in Borneo, I would think the first airline to talk to is the Royal Brunei Airline, using Bandar Seri Bagawan as a hub,” Yong said.
According to Yong, Royal Brunei had such a plan.
“Royal Brunei always wanted passengers coming into Sabah and Sarawak to stop over in Brunei – which is already happening now – where people fly to London and Australia through Brunei.
“It is possible that Brunei can be the hub, where travellers can fly to Brunei, and then to Kota Kinabalu, instead of flying to Kuala Lumpur and then to Kota Kinabalu,” he said.
Not Sabah Air
Yong, a former Sabah chief minister, however, cautioned against Sabah Air going it alone and starting its own airpline.
“It’s too high a risk for Sabah Air to start its own airline. One miscalculation on the fuel prices will kill the company. It is the fuel prices that is causing problem to AirAsia today.
“Sabah Air is not suited as an airline to even fly within Sabah, as there are many risks and costs involved.
“I would be worried if Sabah Air today decides to buy aircrafts like Boeing 737 and Airbus.
“But there’s nothing wrong for Sabah Air to talk to Royal Brunei. Don’t worry about Kuala Lumpur; when we talk to Brunei, they will come, ” he told reporters at the launching of SAPP’s ts “Sabah Economic Plan” here on Sunday.
Yong described the “monopoly” of the nation’s air travel industry following the share-swap exercise between MAS and AirAsia last year, as a form of “collusion” between the two corporate bodies at the expense of Malaysians at large and Sabahans in particular.
He said the exercise has affected the state’s fledgling tourism industry, with the suspension of several international routes by MAS.
MAS already agreed to continue with providing direct flight service from Sabah to KL.
ReplyDeleteNot good enough. MAS is controlled by one man.
DeleteWe need more airlines to provide more choices & services so that there will be more competition.
More competition will result in cheaper air fares.
harap Sabah dpt bangunkan syarikat penerbangan sendiri.
Deletesaya rasa ini masih belum mencukupi. kalau Sabah nak wujudkan Airline sendiri, mesti memakan masa dan juga kos yang tinggi. jadi, bagus cari alternatif lain buat sementara ini.
DeleteOf course it would be good for Sabah to negotiate with foreign companies to provide their services here. I believe the government had also discussed this with some companies previously.
ReplyDeleteBut on the other hand, there's are still a lot of matters that needs to be carried out by Sabah Air Sdn Bhd. This includes: air fleet procurements, Corporate restructuring, quality control and staff training...just to name a few...
ReplyDeleteOn the plus side, this will give sabahans as well as travellers an altenative (if not cheaper?) options than the existing two airlines (namely MAS and Air Asia.
ReplyDeleteDorianG,
ReplyDeleteSAPP is talking about co-operation with Royal Brunei whereby all your questionnaire have been addressed by them.
I would not be surprised umno to copycat SAPP idea ... lol
then ask sapp to not suggest their idea if they don't want it to be copied by others..
DeleteEven Sabah Air the State Govt.can't handel it!what more if the next Govt. !
ReplyDeleteThe present Umno/BN govt is too corrupted to handle anything that's why we need to have a new Govt in the coming GE13, anyone who doesn't see this must be associated with Umno/Bn morons and is sucking the State & country dry.
DeleteThis one i totally Agree. We need the international flight straight to Kota Kinabalu.
ReplyDeleteya, ia bagi memudahkan pelancong asing datang terus ke Sabah.
DeleteAt least this will reduce the cost compared to transit in KL.
DeleteWe should just give a try to have our own airline. We wouldn't know how is our ability if we not try.
ReplyDeleteSabah Air needs to be competent enough to stand on its own.
ReplyDeleteIt is not that easy but we should try.
DeleteHarap2 Sabah Air dapat memikul tanggungjawab yang telah diamanahkan.
ReplyDeleteYeah..I agree Sabah will get the own airlines.
ReplyDeleteFor Sabah to have their own airlines, they must have the volume and population enough to sustain itself. U think Sabah will get their own airlines? Look at the flow and 'spend thrift' of Sabahans. Creating Sabah Air will worsen the situation for not only Sabah Air, but also MAS and Airasia and then..who do we blame?
ReplyDeleteSabah, along with neighbouring Sarawak, plans to buy MASwings, a MAS subsidiary.
ReplyDelete