Sarawak PKR has described Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s 1Malaysia Integration programme as a cheap political gimmick.

azlan“The offer of (10,000) free seats (on AirAsia) under the programme is but converting a commercial promotion into a cheap political gimmick,”  said vice-chairperson See Chee How.

Last Saturday Najib had announced the implementation of the programme in partnership AirAsia, which is providing the seats on routes between Sabah, Sarawak and the peninsula.

“I look at the 1Malaysia concept as a very meaningful idea that can take the nation to the pinnacle of success that we dream of,” Najib had said.

Malaysians holding a valid MyKad are eligible for the seats, which can be booked from today for 24 hours, for one-way travel from Jan 14 to Feb 4 this year.

NONEThe seats are only valid for flights from the peninsula to Kota Kinabalu, Kuching, Labuan, Sandakan, Miri, Tawau, Sibu, Bintulu, and from the two states to Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Johor Bahru.

See (left) also said that, with 62 flights daily over the 22-day travel period, more than 245,520 seats should have been available.

“Ten thousand free seats are just 4.07 percent of this... such a contribution is not even a fraction of their requisite corporate social responsibility, considering their monopoly of the industry.”

An ‘open sky’ policy and competition among carriers - especially on flights between the peninsula and Sarawak and Sabah - would go further to bring down costs and encourage travel, he added.

AirAsia gets overwhelming response to free seats offer

The writer, who uses a pseudonym, is based in Sarawak.