KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 27 — The government has yet to decide whether to provide financial support to financially distressed AirAsia Group Bhd, said Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook.
He said both the Transport Ministry and Finance Ministry are reviewing proposals to assist the airline.
“The government’s priority is to ensure ongoing airline operations and maintain connectivity, as the bankruptcy of a major airline would disrupt this connectivity. If an airline shuts down, it would not only result in job losses, but also affect connectivity, with adverse consequences for the country.
“This is a matter of concern to the government, and we are doing our utmost to prevent such a situation,” he told the Dewan Rakyat while winding up the policy-stage debate on the Supply Bill (Budget) 2027 for his ministry today.
Loke was responding to Khairil Nizam Khirudin’s (PN-Jerantut) question about the low-cost carrier’s high debt and asked whether the Transport Ministry is considering aid, raising concerns about the fate of the airline’s 26,000 employees.
