Syed Saddiq describes Tony Fernandes as unsung hero

KUALA LUMPUR: PPBM Youth chief and the new MP for Muar, Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, has described AirAsia Group CEO Tan Sri Tony Fernandes as an unsung hero who has been wrongly accused of supporting the former Barisan Nasional (BN) government.

Syed Saddiq, in a statement here today, said Fernandes was pushed to the corner and threatened for not being in line with the then BN government ideology.

“I’d like to share with you something I have been keeping to myself for a while now. I couldn’t share it before because we were imprisoned by the politics of fear.

“I must share this now as I can’t stand witnessing a hero get wrongfully accused,” said the 25year- old who won the Muar seat in the general election on May 9.

Thus, he said, this was a story many did not know and had to be kept a secret.

“But in this new era, an era where your right to speak is being upheld, it is time for a change,” he said.

“This is about Tan Sri Tony Fernandes. He was among the first persons who came to the aid of Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin ( Pakatan Harapan deputy president) when Tan Sri (Muhyiddin) was punished for speaking truth to power,” he said.

Syed Saddiq stated that Fernandes was once a hero when AirAsia offered discounted flights and added flights during the election period though it infuriated some people in former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s circle.

“It didn’t stop there. He refused to fire Rafidah (AirAsia nonexecutive independent chairman Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz) after she spoke openly against Najib, despite being pressured to do so.

“Those actions came with a cost and he had to pay for it,” said Syed Saddiq.

He also said that Fernandes was compelled to state his support for Najib over a video and where his staff had to don new uniforms to welcome the former PM on board a special chartered flight.

Syed Saddiq also called on Malaysians not to label Fernandes as a ‘pengkhianat’ (traitor).

He also said that this was the start of a new era where the people’s right to openly criticise the government was guaranteed and businessmen were free to support any side without fear of persecution. — Bernama