KUCHING, April 14 — Sarawak Minister of Transport Datuk Lee Kim Shin today thanked his federal counterpart Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong and Malaysia Airlines Berhad (MAB) CEO Captain Izham Ismail for their prompt decision to reinstate MAB flights from Kuala Lumpur to Sarawak.
He also thanked them for agreeing to continue MASwings connectivity and services within Sarawak as well as to maintain cargo flights between Kuala Lumpur and Sarawak.
“In tandem with the functions of the state Ministry of Transport (MoT) and in collaboration with the federal Ministry of Transport (MoT) we will continue to monitor the situation and to make sure there is no interruption of passenger and cargo flights from Kuala Lumpur to Sarawak for essential travel and to deliver essential goods and services especially to contain the spread of Covid-19 in the state,” Lee said in a media statement.
He said the State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) yesterday directed the state MoT to liaise with the federal MoT for the reinstatement of MAB flights from Kuala Lumpur to Sarawak.
He said MAB had decided to cancel all its flights from Kuala Lumpur to Sarawak from April 15 to 30 due to the Covid-19 outbreak and travel restrictions.
“The SDMC strongly felt that the airline flights between Kuala Lumpur to Sarawak should not be halted and must continue for essential travels and to ensure sufficient supply of essential services and goods especially medical and food items,” he said.
Lee said the availability of these essential items is even more critical during these trying times.
“It must be highlighted that SDMC had already made all the necessary preparations to curb the spread of the coronavirus, including the arrangement and establishment of many quarantine centres to accommodate for the anticipated number of passengers travelling to Sarawak from the continued and expected more flights between Kuala Lumpur and Sarawak,” he said.
He said he had communicated to both Wee and Izham to impress upon MAB to reinstate the flights from Kuala Lumpur to Sarawak.
He said MAB had agreed to reinstate the flights from Kuala Lumpur to Sarawak every Thursday, starting April 16 to May 14, for Kuala Lumpur – Kuching – Kuala Lumpur; Kuala Lumpur – Miri – Kuala Lumpur every Friday, effective from April 17 to May 14; and Kuala Lumpur – Kota Kinabalu – Kuala Lumpur every Thursday, effective April 16 to May 14.
Lee said MAB has also assured that the Kuala Lumpur to Sarawak flights can be connected to other towns in Sarawak through MASwings flights.
He said the MASwings flight routes are Kuching – Sibu – Kuching; Sibu – Bintulu – Sibu; and Miri – Bintulu – Miri.
“MAB had confirmed that the number of flights will be added if the passengers load increased and MAB ensured that cargo flights will continue to fly between Kuala Lumpur to Sarawak to bring in cargoes especially for essential items,” Lee said.
