AirBorneo milik Sarawak, mengapa Persekutuan masih beri subsidi?

AirBorneo, now owned by Sarawak, continues to receive a RM209 million subsidy from the federal government to ensure residents have access to reliable air transport, particularly in areas with limited ground transportation options. Firdausi Suffian, an economist, stated that the need for this subsidy should be assessed based on its importance to the population, rather than solely on the ownership of the airline.

Without the subsidy, travel costs could become significantly higher, necessitating the continued subsidy to help people gain access, especially in non-urban areas.

The RM209 million subsidy in the 2027 budget is expected to fund 820,000 regional air services (RAS) passengers, following the transfer of MASwings to Sarawak and the renaming of the airline to AirBorneo. The subsidy is intended to fund ground transportation services under the universal service obligation, ensuring crucial routes to the hinterland remain controlled even if they are not commercially viable.

However, not all AirBorneo routes receive this subsidy. The Transport Ministry previously clarified that routes such as Kuching-Sibu, Kuching-Miri, and Kuching-Bintulu were not RAS categories and could be managed commercially.

Time-saving flights, crucial during emergencies, are a significant benefit for Gwynth Vincent, a school teacher in Kota Kinabalu. The flight from Kota Kinabalu to Lahad Datu, which takes approximately 50 minutes, helps her quickly reach her hometown, especially when dealing with family emergencies or needing specialized medical care in Kota Kinabalu. Vincent, who works in Kota Kinabalu, has relied on flights for emergencies, such as when her grandmother fell ill, in addition to using flights for specialist eye care.

Michael Roman, a civil servant aged 28, also prefers air travel for work-related travel between Kota Kinabalu and eastern Sabah cities like Lahad Datu, Sandakan, and Tawau. Air travel typically takes 45 minutes to an hour, compared to eight to ten hours by road. Roman, like many, has used flights to transport his elderly father to the hospital during critical times.

He noted that air fares are not much different from road travel when considering fuel, food, and accommodation expenses. Roman supports the government's subsidy to ensure continued air access but hopes for simultaneous improvements in road infrastructure to provide more transportation options for the public.

In Sarawak, civil servants like Nuruddin Sabali, 32, also use AirBorneo for work, including trips to Kuching-Mukah, Miri-Limbang, and Lawas. He believes the RAS subsidy should be maintained because the regional flight not only facilitates movement between towns but is also vital for delivering supplies and providing healthcare. "Eliminating the subsidy would increase costs for rural residents," he stated.

Nuruddin argued that infrastructure differences in Sabah and Sarawak, compared to the mainland, make flights crucial for certain communities. He emphasized that the value of regional flights cannot be measured solely by profit, as the service provides essential access to underserved populations. While the subsidy's necessity may decrease if road infrastructure and road travel options improve, he believes that as long as residents face transportation challenges, the government has a role to play in ensuring the crucial service remains available.