By Saiful Bahri Kamaruddin
Pix Abd Ra’ai Osman

PUTRAJAYA, 5 May 2015 – More than 650,000 staff members and students from the 20 local public, including The National University of Malaysia (UKM) can now save travelling costs and fly conveniently when the  universities signed a memorandum of agreement (MoA) with AirAsia, the region’s leading and largest low-cost carrier to utilise the carrier’s Public Air Travel Warrant (WPUA).

Education Ministry Secretary General II Datuk Seri Dr Zaini Ujang and Deputy Director General of Higher Education Datin Paduka Siti Hamisah Binti Tapsir, witnessed the signing of the MoA between AirAsia Berhad  CEO  Aireen Omar, and the vice chancellors and representatives of the 20 public universities at the Ministry of Education’s office in Putrajaya today.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Industry and Community Partnership) Prof Dr Imran Ho Abdullah represented UKM at the signing.

On the agreement, Aireen said the deal meant that the universities will save air travel costs domestically and abroad.

“AirAsia has the widest domestic network, connecting not just both peninsular and East Malaysia, but also intra-East Malaysia; easing travel plans for students and staff of the public universities. Apart from that, our wide destination network across 20 countries will also provide all of them the opportunity to travel more as well,” Aureen explained.

She said AirAsia’s WPUA is a special programme catered to the members of government agencies and statutory bodies in the country.

In line with the government’s call to promote prudent spending, WPUA is specially designed by AirAsia with the lowest cost in mind, to allow government servants to travel and perform their duties to the public efficiently without excessive costs.

Members of government agencies, statutory bodies including public universities under the WPUA programme can enjoy privileges such as flexible flight booking and flight change, complimentary baggage allocation up to 40 kg, in-flight meals and seat selection; as well as waived service counter fees.

In addition, guests travelling under WPUA programme are also covered by the Tune Insurance AirAsia Travel Protection plan.

The other public universities taking part in the programme are Universiti Malaya, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Universiti Islam Antarabangasa Malaysia, Universiti Utara Malaysia, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka, Universiti Malaysia Pahang, Universiti Malaysia Perlis, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Universiti Malaysia Kelantan, and Univesiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia.