Bernama reported that the deputy prime minister said the high ticket prices had been discussed at the Cabinet level, and various efforts had been made by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and the federal government to address the problem.

“The transport minister (Loke Siew Fook) has discussed with the airlines not to use supply and demand to determine airfares, but there must be an element of CSR to it.

“We hope that during the upcoming festivals, this matter will be resolved. We are very concerned about the cost of flights for people from Sabah and Sarawak working in the peninsula,” he told a press conference after attending a get-together at MRSM Kota Kinabalu, now known as MRSM Tan Sri Musa Aman, here.

Zahid said the government would monitor the airfares during the Kaamatan festival and Gawai celebrations.

He added that having a boutique airline connecting Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak was one of the measures to ensure ticket prices would remain competitive.

When asked about Sabah deputy chief minister Jeffrey Kitingan’s proposal to create the Borneo Civil Aviation Authority as a regulating body for the aviation industry in Sabah and Sarawak, Zahid hoped the matter would be brought to the Cabinet for discussion.

“I hope the minister responsible for Sabah and Sarawak Armizan Ali, who is also an MP for Papar, will bring this issue to the Cabinet,” he said.

In a separate event in Kota Kinabalu, Zahid again expressed his concern over complaints of high airfares to Sabah and Sarawak during the Hari Raya period.

Speaking at the Sabah Umno Aidilfitri open house, he said the government was looking into ways to help the B40 and M40 groups who have limited finances.

“We should give them the opportunity to return to their hometowns in Sabah and Sarawak with cheap fares,” he added.