PM: Gov't has received offers to buy MAS

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad today confirmed there are potential buyers who have offered to buy ailing Malaysia Airlines (MAS).

However, while professing a love for the airline, he said the government had yet to decide whether to sell off the flag carrier and was still considering the matter.

“I love MAS. I want MAS to be the national carrier, but it seems we’re not up to the task,” Mahathir told reporters at the Parliament lobby when asked.

He said the government has not ruled out accepting any of the offers, but was still studying whether to sell off the airline in the first place.

“I see that even when we pick an outside manager, MAS still suffered losses. So, one suggestion is to sell it,” he said, adding there was interest from both local and foreign companies to buy the airline.

Mahathir said he was also not ruling out a proposal by a group of former MAS executives urging for the airline to remain under government control.

“We have that as well. We will consider whether we should change the management or downsize it or expand the management,” he said.

Mahathir said one of the reasons for MAS’ losses was it had many aircraft that weren’t fully utilised.

Yesterday, MAS Retirees Association (Masra) patron Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahman urged the government to consider a joint-venture with the private sector to save MAS.

He said with MAS in critical condition, the government should first produce a project paper containing proposals on the various ways to revive the airline, instead of closing the company.

MAS has reportedly suffered losses after it was privatised in 2014.

Despite the infusion of RM6 billion in investments from Khazanah Nasional, the airline still failed to turn a profit.

Meanwhile, Mahathir chastised those who supposedly “stole” money from the national coffers during the previous BN administration which now left university students with a lack of funds.

“We will try. If we have the money, we’d give everyone a full meal. But now, our money has been stolen. The person who stole (the money) is now their ‘boss’. Where the stolen funds went, I don’t know.

“Bring back the money to help these students,” he said when asked about reports that public university students were subsisting on one meal per day due to a lack of funds. - Mkini