PARLIAMENT | Instead of giving a "bailout" of RM6 billion for Malaysia Airlines to carry out its restructuring exercise, a BN MP has suggested that the government give exclusive rights to the national carrier to operate in KLIA and KLIA2.
"We gave a bailout amount of RM6 billion (to MAS), wouldn't this policy harm us? Why not just give exclusive rights to operate (at KLIA and KLIA2) until they are strong financially?" asked Abd Latiff Ahmad (BN-Mersing).
He said other countries have prioritised their national carriers by granting them exclusive rights in certain terminals, included in UK and Singapore.
"Is Malindo, which stole three million passengers from MAS, a threat to the national carrier?" he asked during the question-and-answer session at the Dewan Rakyat today.
However, in his reply, Deputy Transport Minister Abdul Aziz Kaprawi (photo) dismissed his colleague's proposal, citing the government's need to engage with other carriers in its plan to make KLIA the regional hub.
"We have at least 50 international airlines which have made KLIA as their hub. We need sustainability (in KLIA), we need other local carriers to back us up - MAS, AirAsia and Malindo Air," he added.
According to Aziz, KLIA will need another player to fill the vacuum left by MAS when it reduces its operation scale, which includes cutting off some routes and terminating collaborations with other international airlines.
"To salvage the situation, Malindo Air agreed to fill up the gap," he noted.
Malindo Air, which is classified as a full services carrier, began its operation at KLIA2 on May 2, 2014 and later moved to KLIA.- Mkini
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