Government to study options on MAS, says PM

KUALA LUMPUR: The government will study various options before coming out with a decision on the fate of national carrier Malaysia Airlines Bhd, said Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

He said the issue of shutting down the airline is a serious matter and a decision will be made as soon as possible.

“I think it is a very serious matter to shut down the national airline. We will nevertheless study the situation whether to

I think it is a very serious matter to shut down the national airline. We will nevertheless study the situation whether to shut the airline down, or should we sell it off or refinance it. All these are open for the government to decide. Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Prime Minister

shut the airline down, or should we sell it off or refinance it.

“All these are open for the government to decide,” he told reporters at the Parliament lobby here today.

MAS, which was privatised under Khazanah National Bhd (Khazanah), posted a marginally lower loss last year due to several factors including crew shortages in the second half of 2018.

Meanwhile, Economic Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali said he hoped both Khazanah and MAS will find ways to resolve the matter including on several MAS carriers that had been grounded for the last few years.

“They just started a new service from Kuala Lumpur to Madinah on Project Amal to generate profit. Hopefully, we can explore new markets in Indonesia and Thailand,” he said. — Bernama