MP warns against using taxpayers' money to rescue wealthy airline and calls for defence probe

In a parliamentary session, MP Hassan Abdul Karim appealed to the government to refuse any taxpayer-funded rescue for a private airline that has been reported to face debt problems, noting that its owners possess billions in wealth and should manage the crisis independently. While speaking on the Auditor-General’s Report, he highlighted the airline’s well-known “everyone can fly” tagline but deliberately avoided naming it.

He also turned his attention to the stalled Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) project, urging that former defence ministers and senior civil servants be investigated alongside military officials, comparing the issue to scandals such as 1MDB and Felda. Karim called for the MACC and other authorities to examine the procurement process dating back to 2013. The defence minister later reported that the LCS programme is 77.46 % complete, with delivery schedules unchanged. Karim’s remarks reflect concerns over fiscal prudence and accountability in both the aviation and defence sectors.