Miri: DAP Sarawak secretary Alan Ling Sie Kiong has called on airlines to increase the frequency of flights between Miri and Kuala Lumpur in response to surging passenger demand.
Ling, who is also Pakatan Harapan (PH) Sarawak Secretary, highlighted that the growing number of foreign travelers, particularly from neighbouring Brunei, has significantly affected local passengers.
This has resulted in consistently fully booked flights and rising airfares.
“Flights between Miri and Kuala Lumpur are an essential service for residents, supporting official business, education, healthcare, tourism, and other critical needs.
“Currently, locals are forced to compete with foreign travelers for both seats and fares,” he said in a statement.
He noted that favourable foreign exchange rates have encouraged Bruneians to choose Miri as their gateway for flights to Kuala Lumpur, further increasing demand.
“To address this issue, the most practical solution is to increase flight frequency between Miri and Kuala Lumpur, allowing more passengers to be accommodated,” Ling said.
He also pointed out that some passengers have resorted to travelling to Bintulu, by road or via connecting flights, to access cheaper fares to Kuala Lumpur.
Ling expressed hope that airlines will seriously consider expanding both route options and flight frequency on the Miri–Kuala Lumpur route to ensure that local residents’ travel needs are no longer compromised.
