SIBU, July 15 — Sarawak Democratic Action Party (DAP) committee member Stanley Chiew has questioned why Sarawak government-owned AirBorneo has yet to introduce direct flights between Sibu and Kuching despite its expansion of domestic and international routes.
Welcoming AirBorneo’s announcement of direct flights from Kuching to Kuala Lumpur and Kuching to Singapore this month, Chiew said the Sarawak government should also prioritise improving connectivity within the state, particularly between Sibu and Kuching.
He said while travelling from Kuching to Peninsular Malaysia and overseas is becoming increasingly convenient, Sibu residents are still unable to enjoy the same convenience when travelling to the state capital through Sarawak’s own airline.
“This raises the question of whether Sibu has been sidelined in Sarawak’s aviation development plans,” he said in a statement.
Chiew said Sibu, as the largest town in central Sarawak, serves as a major commercial, educational, healthcare and transportation hub, as well as a gateway to Kapit, Sarikei, Mukah and Bintulu.
He noted that demand for travel between Sibu and Kuching has always been high due to government business, commercial activities, education and medical referrals.
He added that major healthcare facilities, including the Sarawak Heart Centre and the under-construction Sarawak Cancer Centre in Kota Samarahan, are located in Kuching, making convenient air connectivity essential for residents of central Sarawak.
“Yet today, some passengers travelling from Sibu to Kuching on AirBorneo still have to transit or make stopovers.
“A journey with an actual flight time of only about 35 to 40 minutes can end up taking three to four hours or even longer, resulting in unnecessary time and financial costs,” he said.
Chiew also questioned AirBorneo’s pricing structure, pointing out that the airline offers fixed fares of RM375 for direct flights from Kuching to Kuala Lumpur and fares from RM399 for flights from Kuching to Singapore.
“In contrast, a Sibu-Kuching ticket, due to connecting flights, can sometimes cost more than RM600. When it is easier and cheaper to fly overseas than to your own state capital, how can the public have confidence in such route planning?”
He said the issue reflected the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government’s development priorities, arguing that an airline wholly owned by the Sarawak government should first improve essential intra-state connectivity.
Chiew urged the Sarawak government and AirBorneo to expedite the introduction of direct flights between Sibu and Kuching, while also planning direct services from Sibu to Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.
“The AirBorneo that the people envisioned was never just about enabling Sarawak to fly farther; it was also about bringing the different regions of Sarawak closer together,” he said.
He added that balanced regional development should be reflected in flight route planning and the allocation of public resources, ensuring all regions, including Sibu, receive fair opportunities for growth and development. — The Borneo Post
