KUALA LUMPUR – MCA has criticised Transport Minister Anthony Loke for adopting strategies contrary to those of other countries in attracting tourists to Malaysia, especially its recent decision to impose the passenger service charge (PSC) on international flights departing from both KLIA Terminal 1 and 2.
Highlighting the difference between Malaysia and other countries, the party’s vice-president, Datuk Tan Teik Cheng, pointed out that while foreign nations actively work to enhance their tourism industry and attract more visitors to boost national income, Malaysia appears to be taking a contrary approach by increasing PSC costs for passengers using aviation services.
“This announcement flies in the face of the rakyat, who already have to endure additional new taxes, one after another.
“Transport Minister Anthony Loke needs to intervene and immediately halt all measures that have caused the expenses of domestic and international travellers to rise,” he said in a statement.
Yesterday, the Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom) revised the PSC from June 1, 2024, to December 31, 2026.
The newly revised PSC rates range between RM7 and RM73 payable by passengers departing from and transferring through Malaysia, and they include a security charge for the provision of security services at airports.
For international travel, the Asean and beyond Asean PSC have been unified into a single international departure fee of RM73 for KL International Airport (KLIA) Terminal 1, and RM50 for KLIA Terminal 2 and other airports.
Commenting further, Tan said he finds that the increase in PSC and terminal transfer fees shows the negligence of the transport minister regarding the public’s hardship in their livelihood amid the rising cost of living.
“To Anthony Loke, was this move to cause the PSC and terminal transfer fees to soar higher than what was approved by you? If yes, this reveals that the transport minister is ignorant of the hardships that the rakyat are faced with.
“In the current situation where the prices of goods and essentials and daily living costs escalate, not only have the ministry, his (Transport) Ministry, and Mavcom failed to show consideration for the public, but they have also further amplified the burdens that the rakyat shoulder,” he added.
Tan also expressed his disappointment at the government’s actions to “dig funds” from the people during the current economic crisis.
“Given the current economic slowdown where the difficulties in people’s lives have grown progressively, the government ought to strive to lessen the rakyat’s yoke rather than finding any and every possible channel to dig funds from the public.
“Such methods are downright disappointing,” he said.
Citing Mavcom’s statement regarding the proposed RM7 charge for domestic flights, Tan said the challenges that Sabah and Sarawak residents would face if they were required to transit through KLIA to reach Penang were due to the lack of direct flights on those routes.
“These passengers would be required to pay an additional domestic flight transfer fee of RM7.
“For East Malaysians who travel frequently between these two destinations, the additional transfer fee becomes an unnecessary added burden and is thus unjust to them,” said Tan. – March 13, 2024
