KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 14 ― Malaysia’s Department of Personal Data Protection today said it was satisfied that there has been no sale of customers’ personal data by local airline AirAsia.

The government department, which comes under the Ministry of Communications and Multimedia, said it had received an explanation from the AirAsia Berhad group regarding news reports over the alleged sale of the airline’s personal data to a US company.

“The department takes note that there is no issue of leakages and selling of personal data occurring and is satisfied with the explanation given by AirAsia regarding that issue,” it said in a brief statement today.

The department also issued a reminder that the act of selling personal data is an offence under Section 130 of the Personal Data Protection Act, which is punishable upon conviction with a fine of not more than RM500,000 or not more than three years’ jail or both.

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Previously on October 8, AirAsia Group CEO Tan Sri Tony Fernandes was reported by news wire Reuters as saying that a US firm had recently offered to give a loan of up to US$1 billion (RM4.14).

“I've been saying our data is very valuable. An American firm has come forward and said, you know, we would lend to you based on your data,” he was quoted as saying.