KUALA LUMPUR: Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook refused to comment on Tan Sri Tony Fernandes’ statement that the Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom) has failed the country’s aviation industry.
“That is AirAsia’s view. I have no comment,” he told reporters after officiating the World Maritime Week Malaysia 2019 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) here today.
Also present were Malaysian Marine Department director-general Datuk Baharin Abdul Hamid and Transport Ministry secretary-general Datuk Mohd Khairul Adib Abd Rahman.
Fernandes, who is the AirAsia Bhd group chief executive officer said in a statement yesterday that Mavcom has failed the country’s aviation sector for seven reasons, including that it had introduced bureaucratic policies; and that the commission had rejected several route applications even though bilateral traffic rights were available with other countries.
In another development, Loke said the My100 and My50 unlimited travel passes, launched last year, as part of measures to ease the people’s high cost of living, could be further expanded.
He hoped the government’s initiative would continue to receive support from the Ministry of Finance (MoF) in the tabling of the budget next month.
“That is why we need funding from the MoF and hope that it will continue to receive support in the coming budget,” he said. — Bernama
