The aviation license awarded to Malindo Airways, the new budget airline operated by troubled companies National Aerospace and Defence Industries (NADI) and PT Lion Group, is a recipe for disaster, according to Petaling Jaya Utara member of parliament Tony Pua.
Pua said Lion Mentari Air, part of Indonesia's PT Lion Group, which was acquired to kickstart Malindo Airways, had “one of the worst safety records in the country (Indonesia)”, with one incident reported every 12 to 18 months, earning it a European Union ban.
“The question is whether the prime minister has done his due diligence in awarding the new airline a license,” asked Pua.
Operations to begin next year
Prime Minister Najib Razak officially launched Malindo Airways. To be based at the new low cost airport KLIA2 which is still under construction, it will begin operation next year.
In July 2011, Pua said Lion Mentari Air was forced to ground 13 planes due to sanction caused by bad on-time performance, placing it among six worst airlines in Indonesia.
Pua further added that the Indonesian Transport ministry had also grounded Lion Mentari Air after several of its pilots were found guilty of drugs abuse late last year and early this year.
Pua had earlier claimed that NADI was an inexperienced company in the field and its accounts had not audited for the past five years.
With such inexperience, Pua warned that the operation of Malindo Airways would fall under Lion Mentari Air.
-Harakahdaily
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