Najib rejects idea of AirAsia taking over Malaysia Airlines

SM Amin SM Amin Updated 6 years ago · Published on 30 Jun 2019 2:47PM · 8 Comments

Former prime minister Najib Razak has called for Malaysia Airlines to remain in the hands of Putrajaya. – The Malaysian insight pic, June 30, 2019.

MALAYSIA Airlines Berhad (MAB) must remain in the hands of the government, said former prime minister Najib Razak, rejecting calls for low-cost airline giant AirAsia Group Bhd to save the national carrier.

He said MAB, which is owned by government through Khazanah Nasional Bhd, had its own recovery plan.

“MAS is fully owned by the government and we had put in place a recovery plan for the carrier. As such, the company should remain with the government,” he told reporters today after launching a Gombak Umno division meeting.

Earlier today, veteran newsman A. Kadir Jasin said AirAsia has the capability to save Malaysia Airlines from “dying” as the homegrown no-frills airline has experience running long-haul flights via AirAsia X Bhd.

He posted on his Facebook last Friday that “it is better for MAB to be ‘married’ to AirAsia than to wantonly allow the iconic brand to die”.

Kadir, who is the media and communications adviser to the Prime Minister’s Office, said AirAsia had “married” MAB before, referring to their share swap agreement on August 9, 2011.

But the deal fell through eight months later.

Earlier this week, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said he was not averse to selling Malaysia Airlines if the government found buyers who could genuinely turn around the carrier while keeping its Malaysian identity intact.

The national carrier had recorded losses even before the disappearance of Flight MH370 and the subsequent shooting down of Flight MH17.

In 2014, it unveiled a five-year recovery plan to turn around the company, with the aim of returning to profit by 2018.

However, it missed the target amid a challenging business environment, rising fuel prices, adverse foreign exchange rates and crew shortage. – June 30, 2019.

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Comments

  • Stop talking nonsense! When MAs was under your care you never once turnaround the airline. So you have no right to talk.

    Posted 6 years ago by Adrian Tan · Reply

  • Najib kamu sekarang penjenayah, pencuri yang sedang di dakwa di mahkamah. Tolong jangan tunjuk pandai. Masa kamu PM kamu buat banyak syarikat GLC rugi dengan mencuri

    Posted 6 years ago by SY L · Reply

  • Kamu tidak ada kuasa nak reject. Masih mimpin Najib. Bangunlah

    Posted 6 years ago by SY L · Reply

  • but airsia X also loosing. stop praising tony anaconda as if he is god. we should sell MAS to big boys, qatar, emirates etc. even Garuda can even turn ard, with politoval will but looking at harapan, I doubt so.

    Posted 6 years ago by . . · Reply

  • What does Najib know about business? The only thing he knows is how to steal public funds and fill up his pockets as well as those of his 40 thieves.

    Posted 6 years ago by Rupert Lum · Reply

  • Siapa tanya, Najib?

    Nothing that you say has credibility Najib. You are doing yourself a disservice by making comments on all and sundry. Best focus on family and lawsuits.

    Posted 6 years ago by C D · Reply

  • Only a fool expects that by repeating the same mistakes you get a different outcome.

    Posted 6 years ago by Malaysia New hope · Reply

  • Najib's opinion is not needed.

    Posted 6 years ago by Mokhzani Mohamad · Reply