KUALA LUMPUR: The government remains committed to ensuring the success of Malaysia Airlines Bhd, despite the challenges facing the national carrier.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the cabinet discusses issues related to the airline "almost every week."
"We are committed to ensuring the success of the airline because it is our national carrier, and it must return to peak performance," he said in his speech at Khazanah's 30th anniversary celebration, today.
Anwar affirmed that the government, and the boards of Khazanah, and Malaysia Airlines, are committed to supporting the carrier.
He added that certain political decisions, made without transparency, had contributed to the company's current difficulties.
"Sometimes, political decisions made without transparency allowed cronies to undermine a company we once took pride in. We are still burdened by those mistakes today.
"We must not erase that part of history... the decisions that were made to protect crony interests at the expense of the people and the nation. Recovery efforts have begun, but they will take time."
Anwar stressed that the situation should serve as a lesson, urging political leaders to refrain from interfering in business matters, including those related to Khazanah.
Malaysia Airlines, a subsidiary of Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG), has been plagued by several issues, including flight delays and rescheduling. The latest incident involved Flight MH66 bound for Incheon, South Korea, on Sept 2, which turned back shortly after departing Kuala Lumpur International Airport's Terminal 1.
In a statement, the flag carrier explained that Flight MH66 made a precautionary return to Kuala Lumpur shortly after take-off due to a technical issue with the aircraft's hydraulic system.
Malaysia Airlines also announced a temporary reduction in its flight frequency across its route network.