MAS: MASEU asks government to help secure jobs abroad

Its president, Alias Aziz said this was one of the proposals to be forwarded in the union's meeting with Khazanah Nasional Berhad (Khazanah) and Minister of International Trade and Industry, Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed soon.

"The government can explore employment opportunities in the same sector abroad for former MAS workers, through government-to-government discussions," he told Bernama when contacted here today.

He was commenting on a newspaper report today which quoted Mustapa as saying that the government through Khazanah had offered job opportunities to laid-off MAS employees.

"Perhaps the government can discuss with the United Arab Emirates, as an example, as they do require stewardesses, stewards, aircraft mechanics and engineers," Alias said.

"We may also discuss with China as they have about 2,000 engineering vacancies available," he said.

Alias said the meeting to be held with Khazanah and Mustapa is a follow-up from the assurance given by the government through Khazanah that MAS laid-off staff would be offered job opportunities.

"As such we urge MAS staff to remain calm as we have been given the assurance by the minister himself," he said.

Mustapa reportedly said Khazanah had initiated detailed planning over recent months in preparing an effective recovery plan for the national carrier.

Meanwhile, a special briefing on a proposal to establish a cooperative to help generate income and to assist employees gain employment, would be held in Morib this weekend, he added.