KUALA LUMPUR: AirAsia has reaffirmed its commitment to transparency and accountability following the publication of misleading articles by MalaysiaNow in January 2022, which questioned the airline's RM500 million loan from Danajamin Nasional Bhd.
In a statement today, AirAsia noted that the articles, which were later retracted for presenting an inaccurate and unbalanced narrative, did not provide the airline with the opportunity to address the facts or respond to the criticisms.
In response, AirAsia stressed its commitment to being the most communicative, responsive, and accountable brand in the region.
As the company continues to expand and diversify, it remains focused on maintaining transparency and openness in all interactions with stakeholders, partners, and the media.
AirAsia Aviation Group CEO Bo Lingam, while accepting the apology, underscored the importance of accuracy and fairness in journalism.
He reiterated that the group is dedicated to transparency and aims to be the most communicative and accountable brand in the region.
Lingam said that news reporting should be based on complete facts, giving all parties a chance to present their side of the story.
"AirAsia has always upheld integrity in every aspect of our business operations. We stand by our actions and decisions, and we will always defend our reputation when it is unjustly called into question.
"Misleading reports that do not reflect the full picture are not only damaging but irresponsible.
"AirAsia Aviation Group, as part of Capital A Bhd, has weathered significant challenges and has emerged stronger because of the resilience and dedication of our people.
"We will always stand firm in defending our values and protecting the hard work that has built this company," he said.
In its apology, MalaysiaNow admitted that the articles did not fully reflect publicly available information and included comments from an aviation analyst who questioned the loan approval and AirAsia's recovery prospects after the COVID-19 pandemic.
The analyst had also criticised the company's ventures into other areas of business outside aviation.
The news portal acknowledged its failure to seek AirAsia's response to the criticisms and has since removed the articles.