MUAR MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman has expressed concern over the government’s decision to subsidise RM93 mil to implement free toll for four days during the Hari Raya Aidilfitri festive season.
While praising the move, he said that the amount spent had left Sarawakians and Sabahans out in the cold as the benefit was enjoyed by residents in the peninsula.
He stated that East Malaysian students, particularly those from families with low incomes, should be granted subsidies so that they can return home over the holiday period.
Many Sabahan and Sarawakian students on the peninsula, he claimed, were unable to return home to celebrate Hari Raya with their family this year due to the exorbitant cost of plane tickets.
He went on to say that many others have expressed the struggles of being unable to purchase their tickets.
“This issue popped up when the prime minister announced a four-day toll subsidy given to all road users. But the fact is almost all, if not all, of those (benefitting) are in Peninsular Malaysia. And the total cost of subsidy is about RM93 mil,” he was reported as saying by The Borneo Post.
“When the announcement was made, many Sabahans and Sarawakians shared their concern, which is that while the toll subsidy is welcomed, the government should also look into their plight and help to reduce the cost of air tickets so that they can be reunited with their families.
“This is especially for those from low-income bracket families. These are students who can only fly back to see their families once or twice a year, or those who come from B40 and middle-class families who only can fly back once or twice a year.”
The MUDA President was responding to the federal government’s recent announcement that all toll charges on the country’s highways would be waived for four days, April 19-21 and April 24, as part of efforts to alleviate the financial burden on millions of Malaysians returning to their hometowns for Aidilfitri.
He believed that Sabah and Sarawak should receive aid equivalent to that provided in the peninsula.
Syed Saddiq further stressed that the rising cost of airfares should be addressed as people in both Sabah and Sarawak rely heavily on air travel.
Air connectivity, he claimed, is the main and principal mode of transportation linking the peninsula to both Borneo states.
Along with offering flight subsidies, Syed Saddiq stated that a comprehensive solution was required so that the airfare price during festival seasons may be adjusted below the ceiling price.
He asked Putrajaya to consult with airline firms about a long-term solution that might be tailored to their services and exclusive routes. – April 24, 2023
Main pic credit: The Edge Markets
