KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA: AirAsia's proposal to increase the number of flights to Singapore will be referred to the cabinet, Transport Minister Datuk Ong Tee Keat said yesterday.

"I am mindful of the increase in passenger load, but I will have to seek a fresh mandate from the cabinet," he said after the launch of AirAsia's Kuala Lumpur-Haikou (China) route.

"If we increase the number of AirAsia's flights to Singapore, we will have to increase Singapore's budget airliner's flights frequency to here, too," he said, adding that his ministry would study how this would benefit the country.

AirAsia flies twice daily to Singapore while Tiger Airways has the same number of flights to here.

AirAsia's group executive officer Datuk Seri Tony Fernandes said the plan was to increase the number of flights to six a day.

"It is our most profitable route and the demand is high."

Fernandes said demand for other destinations was also high as the airline offered attractive fares.

"We will continue to provide low fares and attract more tourists to come here."

Later in Muar, Bernama reports that Ong said the government would not hesitate to rent or buy new train coaches from abroad to improve the services of Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB).

However, he added, the effort could not be undertaken overnight as it would take time.

"Just to order new train coaches will take two years," he said after opening the new building of Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina Kung Yu in Kundang Ulu town.

He said his ministry had received feedback from various quarters on conditions inside the train coaches and stations which needed to be refurbished and upgraded.

"Some of the old train coaches with the engines running on diesel or electricity also need to be repaired for reuse.

"In May, I had also asked KTMB to restructure their plans and to solve arising problems in restoring and improving train services."

Ong said he was personally monitoring the punctuality of the train services in the effort to make rail travel a popular choice of the people.