State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Masidi Manjun has asked low-cost carrier AirAsia to consider national interest and not just profit when relocating operations to Kota Kinabalu International Airport Terminal 1.     

He urged the Transport Ministry and the budget airline to settle the matter amicably.     

"Airasia has some good points, but I think they also need to look into the rationale, the points raised by the government. If the issue is cost, I'm sure the government will be more than happy to discuss.    

"Being a low-cost airline, I know AirAsia wants to be efficient and want to cut cost, but we have to consider national interest than just profit," he told reporters when commenting on AirAsia Group chief executive officer Tony Fernandes' remark last week that the airline was reluctant to move from Terminal 2, where AirAsia is currently operating now, to the newly-expanded KKIA Terminal 1, as costs would increase and force the airline to reduce flights, causing Sabah to lose some one million tourists.     

Terminal 2 is to be converted for cargo handling.     

Deputy Transport Minister Abdul Rahim Bakri had responded, saying the ministry was surprised by Fernandes’ remarks as AirAsia had signed an undertaking letter with the ministry to shift its operations to Terminal 1.     

He said the Kota Kinabalu International Airport has been upgraded at a cost of RM1.6 billion to cater for airlines’ needs and growth.

- Bernama