KUALA LUMPUR: The government is ready to open the Rural Air Services (RAS) routes to more commercial flights to better service the communities in Sabah and Sarawak said Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai. Liow said the application by the commercial airlines should be according to terms and conditions set by the government and that there will be no subsidy for airlines applying for the RAS routes. Liow also addressed the questions by Julian Tan Kok Ping (Stampin-DAP) and Alice Lau Kiong Yieng (Lanang-DAP) if commercial airlines’ flight fees will be subsided for flights on the Rural Air Services (RAS) routes. “If other commercial flights are able to fly using the RAS routes such as Kuching to Bintulu, the airlines are welcomed to apply to use the routes. However, there will be no subsidised tickets for the flights,” he said, stressing that airlines taking on the RAS routes need to assure the government that they will put the people’s needs first.

Source: New Strait Times November 08, 2017 15:22 UTC