KUALA LUMPUR: The report on Rayani Air is ready and a decision on the fate of the airline will be made soon, said Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai (pic).

The Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) prepared the report following its inquiry into the syariah-compliant airline recently, he said.

“They have listened to the answers and the report has been given to me. We will make a final decision on Rayani Air very soon,” he said.

He was speaking at a press conference after the Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd launch of the Kuala Lumpur International Airport Aeropolis yesterday.

On April 11, DCA suspended Rayani Air’s air operations certificate for three months after it temporarily halted operations following a strike by its pilots.

Rayani Air, launched in December last year, was the first local airline to have its operations suspended for allegedly breaching the Civil Aviation Regulations 1966.

It was reported that DCA director-general Datuk Seri Azharuddin Abdul Rahman said his department had asked Rayani Air all the questions it wanted to in the inquiry and was scrutinising the responses before coming to a decision.

He said the absence of Rayani Air chief executive officer Ravi Alagendrran at the inquiry had not affected the proceedings. Ravi did not attend, citing high blood pressure.

On another matter, Liow said Tourism Malaysia chairman Wee Choo Keong should explain his alleged outburst against AirAsia at an expo in Beijing last week.

The promotion of tourism should be done collectively as a nation, said Liow.

“I think that as a nation, we should promote tourism and the airlines in Malaysia,” he said.

It was reported that last Friday, Wee allegedly lambasted his staff during the 4th China International Tourism Expo 2016 after seeing an AirAsia bunting alongside other promotional materials in the Tourism Malaysia booth.

-The Star-