Cost Timing Stop Youths From Returning For Sabah Polls Parents Say

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As airlines set lower fares to help Sabah voters return home for next month’s election, many parents say the gesture comes too late for children studying outside the state, who still can’t afford the trip, or can’t miss class.
For thousands of families, the desire for their children to exercise their democratic right is real. But so are the constraints of distance, cost, and academic calendars.
For Rommel Osmand, a self-employed father of two girls studying at a public university in Kuching, Sarawak, the tickets have become too expensive.
“They wish they could come back, but they can’t; the tickets are too expensive. They don’t have a semester break. They only come home if there’s a long holiday. Otherwise, they just stay there,” he said.
ADSAirAsia recently announced a three-day RM299 one-way fixed fare from major Peninsular cities to Sabah between Nov 26-28. The move was welcomed by advocacy groups urging cheaper access for out-of-state voters.
However, a quick browse of current airfares shows that the return flight between Kota Kinabalu and Kuala Lumpur now averages around RM700, depending on route and availability.
Non-promotional fares - often higher on the return leg - are expected to rise further as the polling weekend approaches, when demand typically spikes.
Compounding the problem, the voting period does not coincide with semester holidays, leaving most students tied to classes and lessons.
Another parent, Bonny Kong, 47, also self-employed, said her child studying in Kelantan will only come home during Christmas.
“It’s both tiring and expensive to fly back just to vote. The ticket from Kota Bharu to Kota Kinabalu costs about RM500–RM600.
“Even with discounts, it’s still a big amount. Of course, voting is important, but if it’s too costly, maybe the government should help pay or allow postal voting,” she added.
Cost and calendar clash
The sentiment was echoed by Faridah Majid, a 46-year-old government servant whose daughter studies in Kuala Lumpur.
“There’s no long semester break. The airfare is high and she can’t get leave. It’s important to vote, but sometimes practicality wins,” she said.
The same goes for Johan Iskandar, a 45-year-old oil-and-gas technician, who faces the same dilemma with his son in Penang.
“A return ticket is nearly half a month’s wages for some students. Unless there’s subsidised travel or postal voting, it’s not realistic,” he said.
ADSAn estimated 200,000 Sabahans are residing in Peninsular Malaysia, and thousands more are in Sarawak.
While the state government has occasionally offered travel subsidies for festive periods, these were general assistance schemes not tied to elections.
Political parties, meanwhile, have avoided sponsoring flights, as selective voter transport can be deemed an offence under the Election Offences Act 1954.
The law prohibits giving material benefits to induce voters, meaning only state-wide or neutral programmes, such as festive airfare subsidies, are permissible.
In previous polls, NGOs and youth groups instead raised small funds to help students return home when airfares spiked.
Calls for postal voting
Civil society groups, including Bersih 2.0 and Undi Sabah, have urged the Election Commission (EC) to expand postal voting to cover Sabahans studying or working in Peninsular Malaysia. They argued that hundreds of thousands face travel and academic constraints that prevent them from returning home to vote.
Currently, only Malaysians abroad and security personnel are eligible for postal voting. Those registered in Sabah must return to their home constituencies to cast their ballots in person, as domestic postal voting has yet to be implemented.
While fixed fares may ease the burden for some, parents say they do little for those bound by rigid semester timetables and limited budgets. For them, the issue is not willingness but feasibility.
“We want them to come home and vote. But sometimes, even if your heart says yes, your wallet and schedule say no,” said Osmand.
Sabah goes to the polls on Nov 29, with nomination day set for Nov 15. - Mkini

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