The state Minister of Transport said he received the news of Alice’s appointment as a member of the commission yesterday morning.

“For the first time, a Sarawakian is given a post in Mavcom. I want to thank the Ministry of Transport at the federal level who had conceded to appoint a member from Sarawak to the post.

“We did not have a representative in the commission all this while and this sometimes had caused a communication gap between the commission and Sarawak government.

“We hope with the appointment, we will be able to directly channel all related issues to Mavcom in their meetings,” he he told reporters when met during his working visit to Sarawak Rivers Board (SRB) Sibu office at Sibu Passenger Terminal here yesterday.

According to Lee, he had suggested the Mavcom appointment to his federal counterpart Anthony Loke in a meeting early this year.

He said apart from resolving various issues related to aviation in Sarawak, Alice’s appointment would give Mavcom a better insight into the needs of Sarawakians.

Earlier, Lee was briefed on upgrading and repair projects to be implemented at Sibu Passenger Terminal under the 12th Malaysia Plan.

At the same event, he presented life jackets to speed boat operators plying Sibu-Daro and Sibu-Dalat routes.

Also present was Bukit Assek assemblyman Joseph Chieng.