Najib pledges to consider MASwings' new business plan

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has given his guarantee that the government would consider in detail the new business plan of Malaysia Airlines (MAS) subsidiary MASwings Sdn Bhd.

The plan will be announced at an opportune time when the business plan of the 'New MAS' is approved, he said in a written reply to a question from Teresa Kok (DAP-Seputeh), who wanted to know whether the restructuring of MAS would affect the unprofitable rural routes now served by MASwings.

"I have explained MAS' restructuring plan in detail," he said.

It was reported on Sept 2 that MASwings would introduce a new business plan that includes enhancing rural air services in Sabah and Sarawak next year.

On Aug 29, Khazanah Nasional Bhd announced a RM6 billion plan to revive MAS that includes cutting 30 per cent of the airline's workforce and a greater emphasis on profitable regional routes.

MASwings officially began operations on Oct 1, 2007 to serve rural routes in the two states as well as the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA).