PETALING JAYA: Travellers flying to Sabah and Sarawak for Gawai and Kaamatan will pay no more than RM499 for their tickets, with the government covering whatever the airlines charge above that through subsidies.
Transport minister Loke Siew Fook said the ceiling fare applies to flights during the three days before each festival, TVS reported.
“If the actual ticket price reaches RM1,000, but the maximum price is set at RM499, then the government needs to cover the remaining RM501 for each ticket,” he was quoted as saying at an event in Kajang.
He attributed the higher subsidy costs to rising airline operating expenses driven by volatility in global energy markets and jet fuel prices.
On April 14, the transport ministry announced a RM50 rebate for flight tickets between Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan for travel between May 15 and June 14.
The initiative is expected to benefit about 100,000 passengers.