FORMER prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin has distanced himself from MyAirline, saying he has nothing to do with the troubled low-cost carrier that suspended its operations due to financial constraints.  

“I would like to emphasise that I have nothing to do with the airline or any of the company’s shareholders,” he said in a statement.  

“I also have to state that I don’t have any knowledge about the background of the company,” the Pagoh lawmaker posted on Facebook today.  

Muhyiddin said a search showed that the airline received its conditional air service license on December 22, 2021.  

The Perikatan Nasional chairman said he was not the prime minister then. 

Muhyiddin said the involvement of the law firm Rosli Dahlan Saravan Partnership, on behalf of the company’s shareholders, could not be attributed to him. 

Muhyiddin said Rosli Dahlan Saravan Partnership, which is representing him in his defamation suit against Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, has the right to represent anyone. 

“Certain parties had come up with the claim to tarnish my good name with this malicious accusation. 

“Stop this dirty, cheap politics,” Muhyiddin said.  

MYAirline announced the suspension of its services on October 12 due to “severe financial challenges”. 

It had only been operating for 10 months, operated eight aircraft and had about 900 employees, flying from KLIA Terminal 2 to eight domestic destinations (Penang, Kota Baru, Langkawi, Kota Kinabalu, Sibu, Tawau, Kuching, and Miri) and one international destination (Bangkok). 

Today, the police confirmed the arrests of MYAirline Sdn Bhd’s co-founder and majority shareholder, and two members of his family.  

Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department director Ramli Yoosuf said police obtained a four-day remand for all three suspects. 

Reports identified the co-founder and majority shareholder as Goh Hwan Hua – owner of private firms Zillion Wealth and Trillion Cove Holdings, which had stakes of 88% and 10%, respectively, in the airline. 

The three suspects were reportedly detained to facilitate investigations under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001. – October 18, 2023.