Richard Riot Jaem (GPS-Serian) claimed that he had found Batik Air’s one-way flight tickets from Kuching to Kuala Lumpur on March 3 costing RM2,546.46.

He said expensive flight tickets may stifle integration between the nation’s territories, as people from the peninsula may find it hard to afford to travel to Sabah or Sarawak or vice versa.

“The government must address this issue through the transport ministry. There must be a way to reduce the incredibly high cost of air travel.

“I think it costs around RM1,050 to get from here to Adelaide. A round trip is around RM2,000. But we have to spend RM5,000 to get from Kuching to Kuala Lumpur (and vice versa). It’s too much,” Riot said when debating the royal address in the Dewan Rakyat today.

In December, transport minister Loke Siew Fook announced that the Cabinet has agreed to his ministry’s proposal to subsidise the purchase of one-way economy class flight tickets exceeding RM599 from the peninsula to Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan for the Christmas holidays.

Loke said the policy will be applied for other festive seasons like Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Kaamatan and Gawai for three days each.

On Tuesday, he said extending the maximum RM599 fare from three days to two weeks for Hari Raya Aidilfitri will incur significant costs for the ministry.

He said the initiative was undertaken by his ministry without specific funding from the finance ministry.