SUBANG JAYA, June 16 — Malaysia Airlines System (MAS) is a wreck now because the government played favourites with budget carrier AirAsia, the national carrier’s employees union claimed today.

Malaysia Airlines System Employees Union () further blamed AirAsia of meddling in MAS’ affairs since 2006, which he said had affected not just the flag carrier but its workers.

“They actually ‘anak tirikan’ (sidelined) us in favour of them… they are more affectionate towards AirAsia, but we are not angry,” MASEU secretary-general Abdul Malek Ariff told a news conference here, referring to the federal government’s treatment of both airlines.

“If you want to care for AirAsia so much, go ahead, but when things happen like now, don’t blame MAS,” he added.

Advertisement

To support his argument, Abdul Malek claimed Tan Sri Chan Kong Choy often decorated his Transport Ministry office with AirAsia’s red-and-white colours and paraphernalia, when he was in office in the mid-2000s.

The MASEU representative also claimed that AirAsia does not have its own maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) department to service its planes and is now bent on taking over MAS’, reputedly ranked the third best in the world by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

“We know from the very beginning what AirAsia wanted from MAS is the MRO.

Advertisement

“We know from the very beginning their aim is MRO… MRO is big money,” he said, adding that the department in MAS earned RM550 million in 2010 though its current annual earning have decreased to RM100 million due to leakages and mismanagement.

Abdul Malek alleged that the budget carrier had been attempting to draw MAS’ MRO personnel to its company but was unable to back up his claim, saying it was “difficult” to produce.

He said AirAsia currently services its planes abroad.

MAS had on June 1 sent letters to the entire 20,000 MAS workforce, offering only two-thirds new jobs at the new entity, Malaysia Airlines Berhad (MAB).

The national carrier was delisted in August last year after sovereign wealth fund Khazanah Nasional offered to buy out minority shareholders for a total of RM1.38 billion to restructure MAS.