NAJIB Razak and his entourage did not get a RM17,000 waiver for excess baggage when they flew to the island resort of Langkawi recently, Malaysia Airlines said.

Its corporate communications spokesman, Anis Dzun Nurin, said the national carrier observes a strict policy on excess baggage and can confirm that no waivers were granted.

A screen grab of the excess baggage details went viral on social media. It showed that Najib and his group were allegedly given a waiver of RM17,071.85 when they flew to Langkawi from Kuala Lumpur with 535kg of baggage. 

The former prime minister had spent the Hari Raya holidays on the resort island in Kedah from June 16 until yesterday. 

It was reported that Najib’s entourage of some 13 people travelled with about 30 pieces of luggage.

His wife, Rosmah Mansor, their children, Nooryana Najwa and Norashman, Rosmah’s son Riza Aziz, son-in-law Daniyar Kessikbayev, and grandson Adam Razak were among those in the group.

Anis said MAS was investigating the source of the screenshots claiming that the airline gave Najib the waiver. 

“The airline takes the matter seriously and is currently investigating the source of these screenshots,” she said in a statement. 

Anis also explained the excess baggage of Najib and his entourage. 

“In general, when passengers check-in as a group, all baggage may be combined and tagged under one name, which would appear on the system as excess baggage.

“In this particular case, the group’s total checked-in baggage was well within the allowable limit.”  

Najib’s trip, including the number of bags he and his family took with them, became a subject of discussion on social media. A number of social media users cheekily suggested the family were going to make a run for it. 

Kedah police said Najib was in Langkawi to play golf, not to use the island as a staging post to exit the country. 

Najib and Rosmah have been barred from leaving the country as the new government investigates their involvement in the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) scandal. – June 21, 2018.