‘Liow must ask airline to pay up’
KUALA LUMPUR: Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi said Malindo Air needs to pay its airport tax arrears amounting to RM70 million.
Responding to Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai, who had refuted the claim that the airport tax collection mechanism was flawed, Puad said Liow did not have to answer on behalf of the airline, but only instruct them to pay.
“There is no need for the minister to answer on behalf of Malindo Air.
“He should just instruct them (the airline) to pay the arrears; more so since the tax money belongs to the government.”
He said he was surprised that Malindo Air had been given special treatment when it was a foreign airline.
“I understand that other airline companies are given only one month to settle their arrears.”
He said the airline must be pressured to settle its arrears as soon as possible.
Yesterday, Liow said he was aware of the airline’s arrears, but rebutted claims that the current airport tax collection mechanism was flawed.
He said he was confident that Malindo Air would pay its outstanding airport tax, adding that the usual practice was to give airlines six months to settle its arrears.
He was responding to Puad’s earlier statement on the airline’s outstanding airport tax.