GE14 | As the nation scrambles to make travel plans for election day May 9, local airlines have been urged to either slash their airfares or make it free, on top of their waivers for rebooking.

Incumbent Pulai MP Nur Jazlan Mohamad said that AirAsia is sincere in doing a public service for the 14th general election(GE14) it should give all Malaysians free flights.

"Since AirAsia is a local airline that uses Malaysia as its hub, it should offer free flights to encourage people to go home and vote.

"After all its once every five years and they can treat the loss revenue as their corporate social responsibility," Nur Jazlan told Malaysiakini.

Read more: AirAsia too waives rebooking fee for GE14

Meanwhile, electoral reform group Bersih has started a petition calling on Malaysia Airlines and other airlines to slash its fares.

"(They can do) their corporate social duty by reducing airfares and waiving rebooking as well as rerouting charges during GE14, especially for those who live, work or study overseas so that they may fulfil their responsibility as voters in deciding the next government and the direction of the country.

"Such services would also ease travel for Sabah and Sarawakian voters who are working in Peninsular Malaysia as well as voters from Peninsular Malaysia who work in Sabah and Sarawak, so that they may return to cast their votes.

"In addition to this, MAS is also a government-linked company and is funded by public money, and as such, bear a greater responsibility to the people of Malaysia more than any other airlines," Bersih said in a statement.

Hong Kong-based carrier Cathay Pacific was the first to waive rebooking fees, offering ticket holders to delay their travel by up to two months from the voting day.

Cathay Pacific's offer had prompted Nur Jazlan Mohamed to question if the airline was now in the business of regime change.

However, he denied saying the airline was being subversive.