KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 5 — Malaysians flying home to Sabah and Sarawak during festive seasons would have to pay nearly RM1,000 each way if not for the government’s airfare subsidy programme, Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook said today.

He said the scheme, which caps ticket prices at RM499, has significantly reduced travel costs for those returning to East Malaysia for celebrations such as Chinese New Year, Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Gawai, Kaamatan and Christmas.

“Without the subsidy, the one-way fare from Kuala Lumpur to Tawau, Sandakan or Kota Kinabalu can reach up to RM1,000 depending on demand, booking time and seat availability,” Loke told Dewan Rakyat during the question and answer session.

He cited that before the programme’s introduction in 2024, the average fare for Kuala Lumpur–Sandakan flights during Chinese New Year in 2023 was RM907.