{
  "id": 15617723,
  "title": "Tiada persetujuan beri AirAsia sokongan kewangan, kata kerajaan",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/19/tiada-persetujuan-beri-airasia-sokongan-kewangan-kata-kerajaan",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-19T14:47:28.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/bahasa/tempatan/2026/10/19/tiada-persetujuan-beri-airasia-sokongan-kewangan-kata-kerajaan"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Perdana Menteri Anwar Ibrahim announced that the government will continue to closely monitor the situation of low-cost carrier AirAsia, which is facing financial difficulties due to the fallout from conflicts in the Middle East. The prime minister, who is also the finance minister, stated that the government is taking note of the large losses AirAsia has incurred as a result of soaring jet fuel prices. However, the government has not yet made any decisions or commitments to provide financial support to the airline, either in the form of guarantees, loans, or injections of public funds, according to a parliamentary written response to Wee Ka Siong (BN-Ayer Hitam). Wee had asked Anwar whether the government would consider helping AirAsia given the company's financial troubles. Anwar said that the government will continue to closely monitor AirAsia's developments and will not comment on any speculation reported by the media. Reuters had previously reported that AirAsia was trying to raise up to USD1 billion (RM4.08 billion) from the international bond market and secure RM700 million in local credit facilities specifically for debt refinancing. Despite the challenges, Anwar noted that AirAsia plays a crucial role in providing air connectivity to Sabah and Sarawak, controlling 66% of flights to and from Malaysia's East Malaysia in 2025. The carrier controls 62% of air passengers in Sabah and 70% in Sarawak in 2025, not including short take-off and landing (STOL) airports. AirAsia's highest passenger-carrying airports in both states are Sibu (79%), Bintulu (77%), Sandakan (75%), Kuching (72%), Tawau (70%), Miri (63%), and Kota Kinabalu (62%). In Peninsular Malaysia, states with the highest percentages of AirAsia passengers include Johor (70%), Terengganu (56%), Kedah (56% in Langkawi and 49% in Alor Setar), and Kelantan (46%). At KLIA Terminal 2, AirAsia accounts for three-quarters of total passenger traffic. Nationally, the low-cost carrier accounts for 41% of 104.5 million passengers across all Malaysian airports, with nearly 60% of them being domestic passengers.",
  "summary": "AirAsia main peranan penting menyediakan ketersambungan udara ke Sabah dan Sarawak, dengan mengendalikan 66% penerbangan dari dan ke negeri Malaysia Timur tahun lalu.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Pertimbang sumbangan ekonomi AirAsia sebelum beri bantuan, kata Sng",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/19/pertimbang-sumbangan-ekonomi-airasia-sebelum-beri-bantuan-kata-sng",
        "published": "2026-10-19T10:42:50.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}