TAWAU: Kalabakan Member of Parliament Datuk Andi Muhammad Suryady Bandy urged the government to introduce a price control mechanism or a special fare ceiling for citizens to ensure travel costs remain reasonable and do not burden the people of the state during festive seasons.
He said a specific mechanism to regulate airfares is crucial as the cost of travelling to Tawau is becoming increasingly burdensome for locals, particularly students from Sabah studying in Peninsular Malaysia.
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He mentioned that the rising airfares during festive seasons frequently causes concern among the public as the cost is sometimes even higher than travelling to international destinations.
“For example, there are times when ticket prices to Tawau are more expensive than flights to Bali, Indonesia, which puts significant pressure on local residents, especially students wishing to return home to spend time with their families.
“More than 80 per cent of passengers travelling to Tawau are not tourists, but locals with work, education and family commitments,” he said this when met by the media after officiating the Wisma Persekutuan Tawau Bubur Lambuk Programme 2026 at Wisma Persekutuan Tawau, here, on Friday.
Therefore, he said the government needs to review the airfare control mechanism so that local residents, particularly those from Tawau, Kalabakan and Semporna, do not have to continue bearing high travel costs when returning home during festive seasons.
Meanwhile, Andi also commented on the programme, saying it brought together several federal government departments and strategic partners to prepare bubur lambuk for distribution to the local community in conjunction with the month of Ramadan.
He added that programmes like this not only keep Ramadan traditions alive but also strengthen ties and foster a sense of togetherness among government department staff and the community.
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