Harapan urges gov't to assist airline companies
CORONAVIRUS | Amid a global trend of restricted air travel due to the Covid-19 outbreak, DAP organising secretary Anthony Loke today urged the government to identify areas where it could help local airlines to not fall into a situation of being forced to declare bankruptcy.
Among others, the former transport minister said the government could consider offering soft loans over the next three months to help airline companies sustain its operations during a time of crisis.
"If I was still the transport minister, what I would have done, I would have immediately called for a meeting with all airline companies and ask them to propose what form of assistance package is needed...
CORONAVIRUS | Amid a global trend of restricted air travel due to the Covid-19 outbreak, DAP organising secretary Anthony Loke today urged the government to identify areas where it could help local airlines to not fall into a situation of being forced to declare bankruptcy.
Among others, the former transport minister said the government could consider offering soft loans over the next three months to help airline companies sustain its operations during a time of crisis.
"If I was still the transport minister, what I would have done, I would have immediately called for a meeting with all airline companies and ask them to propose what form of assistance package is needed to reduce their operating costs.
"These airline companies must be assisted because we can't let any airline company go bankrupt. That will have a huge implication for the country.
"When we have recovered (from the Covid-19 outbreak), we must ensure that our transportation system remains and we have ongoing connectivity with other countries," he said during a Pakatan Harapan secretariat press conference in Kuala Lumpur.
Loke said among matters to be considered include the risk of losing landing rights at major international airports, for example, London's Heathrow, with a move to temporarily halt all international flights.
His remarks today were also made in response to Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin's announcement last night that the government would impose a movement control order beginning tomorrow until March 31 as part of efforts to contain the Covid-19 outbreak.
As part of Pakatan Harapan's effort to support the call for social distancing, the press conference, held together with PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution and Amanah communications director Khalid Samad, was conducted for the first time via Facebook live from PKR headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, with questions from the media taken by PKR information chief Fahmi Fadzil via a Whatsapp group.
On Sunday, Human Resources Minister M Saravanan had reassured that national carrier Malaysia Airlines Bhd will not be laying off any of its over 13,0000 staff.
He also reiterated that MAS had instead offered its employees the option of taking three months no-pay leave or five days no-pay leave per month for at least three months, beginning next month.
