KUCHING, Oct 29 — The recent signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Sarawak government, Malaysia Aviation Group and Hornbill Skyways Sdn Bhd to facilitate the acquisition of shares in MASwings is a significant step in addressing accessibility concerns in Sarawak, said Tourism Malaysia director-general Datuk Ammar Abd Ghapar.

Speaking to reporters when met after officiating at the Lan Berambeh Cuti-Cuti Malaysia at Plaza Merdeka last night, Ammar expressed his optimism about the collaboration, emphasising the importance of increased accessibility to the region.

"This is a good effort as one of the main issues we face is accessibility, now we can get more accessibility. We understand that the flights will not only confine to Borneo alone, so this marks a positive development in enhancing access to Sarawak.

"We hope this will be successful, and it will enable more visitors to come to Sarawak,” he said.

Earlier in his officiating speech, Ammar said that there has been a common perception that travelling to Sarawak from Peninsular Malaysia is expensive.

In this regard, he believes that the takeover of MASwings by the Sarawak government and the entry of a new airline with increased flight frequency will help address this concern.

He also hopes that these additions to flight options will lead to more competitive airfare prices, making Sarawak a more attractive destination.

"I think we should capitalise this as it will bring the price of the airfare to a better rate.

"So, we hope with the increased of flight frequency, we will be able to further strengthen the tourism connections between Peninsular Malaysia and Sarawak, so people no longer compare Sarawak to cheaper destinations like Bali or Phuket,” he added. — Borneo Post