The government should reconsider its decision to increase air fares for all Malaysia Airlines (MAS) domestic flights as such travel is no longer a "luxury but a necessity", said Gerakan vice-president Dr S Vijayaratnam today.

"The government has to take cognizance that domestic air travel is part of the daily routine of many business and private passengers," he said in a press statement.

He added that it will be more practical and acceptable to the public if there were small and reasonable price hikes within shorter periods of time, rather than justifying the increase by stating that the last review was done years ago.

"It is also unfair to start comparing fare structures with other countries in the region," said Vijayaratnam.

Yesterday, Transport minister Dr Ling Liong Sik revealed that the government had approved MAS' request to raise air fares by an average of 51.8 percent for routes within Peninsular Malaysia.

However, flight fares between Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah and Sarawak, and within the latter two states will remain unchanged.

Ling also said that the MAS' fare will still be one of the lowest in the region and that the increase was reasonable as the "last hike was nine years ago".

Saving MAS

Meanwhile, DAP vice-chairperson Lim Guan Eng said the increase, which was not justified and not in the interest of the public, appeared as though the government was saving MAS from its financial difficulties.

"Increasing domestic air fares by 51.8 percent to cover MAS' huge losses violates the principles of accountability and transparency that those responsible for its losses should be punished," said Lim in a press statement.

"Malaysians who were forced by the government to spend more than a billion ringgit to bail out MAS are now being punished in the form of higher domestic air fares," he added.

Last December, the government bought back shares valued at RM1.79 billion from former MAS executive chairman Tajudin Ramli.

The sale came under much criticism as Tajudin sold his controlling 29 percent stake in the airline at RM8 per share although the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange market price was at RM3.60 per share then.

Lim also queried why only domestic air fares were increased and not international fares.

Break monopoly

Keadilan Youth wing's economic bureau chief Adlan Benan Omar said the fares should not have been increased at a time when the nation is facing the possibility of a recession and a possible lower economy growth.

If the government intended to increase MAS' profits by the fare hike, the airline might as well be sold to the private sector as soon as possible, he said in a press statement.

Adlan also suggested that the government break MAS' monopoly over the domestic air routes by allowing more entrepreneurs to provide "no-frill services" for domestic routes.