KUCHING, Nov 14 — The Sarawak caretaker administration is cautious about proposals for state-owned carrier AirBorneo Airways Sdn Bhd (AirBorneo) to offer special airfare discounts to voters travelling home for the 13th Sarawak Election, warning that such incentives could be misconstrued as electoral bribery.

Caretaker Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg said that while the administration was open to facilitating travel for Sarawakians, any fare reductions must comply with election laws and avoid giving rise to allegations of vote-buying.

“You see, if you give them a special discount, people can interpret it as a certain incentive.

“We have to look at the legal definition,” he told reporters after officiating at the send-off ceremony for AirBorneo’s inaugural Kuching-Jakarta flight at the Kuching International Airport yesterday.

He was responding to questions on whether the state government would consider directing AirBorneo to introduce additional airfare discounts to encourage out-of-state voters to return home and cast their ballots.

Abang Johari said initiatives intended to help voters could be portrayed negatively by political opponents and critics, with state-subsidised travel potentially framed as an attempt to influence votes.

“Nowadays, people will twist the narrative and ask: ‘Why is the government giving incentives for votes?’ If we sponsor the flights, some may claim it amounts to bribery.

“We have to be very careful because there are quarters who will spin this,” he said.

He acknowledged that airfares typically rise in December due to the year-end peak travel season, but said AirBorneo already offered fixed-rate fares that provided an affordable option for Sarawakians returning home.

“December flights are indeed very expensive, which is why voters should remember they can utilise AirBorneo.

“With fixed fares at just over RM300, they can already return home affordably without needing a special sponsorship that risks being misinterpreted,” he said.

The 13th Sarawak Election will see all 82 seats in the Sarawak Legislative Assembly contested following the dissolution of the State Legislative Assembly on October 26.

The Election Commission issued the writ of election on November 6, with nomination set for November 28, marking the start of the 14-day campaign period ending on December 11.

Early voting will be held on December 8, ahead of polling day on December 12.

More than two million registered voters are eligible to vote, with a simple majority of 42 seats needed to form the next state government. — The Borneo Post