KUALA LUMPUR, April 30 — Barisan Nasional’s Setiawangsa candidate Tan Sri Zulhasnan Rafique said it was impossible that Pakatan Harapan chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s flight to Langkawi on Friday had been sabotaged.
The retired fighter pilot and flying instructor said it would be part of the private jet company’s standard operating procedure to examine the jet before takeoff to ensure that it would be safe to fly.
“I cannot comment from the technical perspective, but in terms of preparations, the captain himself would go around the jet to check on the safety measures.
“The pilot and co-pilot themselves have their own families. They would want to make sure 100 per cent that the plane is safe. If there were any technical problems, I am sure the company would not allow the plane to be used,” he told reporters after the launch of his manifesto.
On Friday, Dr Mahathir had claimed that the plane he had boarded to Langkawi was sabotaged, with the pilot announcing that the plane had been damaged just before takeoff.
The flight company, VistaJet International, had corroborated the findings of the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) and said there were no signs of sabotage.
The government has ordered an immediate investigation into Dr Mahathir’s claims.
