Several groups and academicians have urged Malaysia Airlines (MAS) to stop including the cost of serving liquor on its flights in its ticket prices.
 
One of them, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak economics and business faculty lecturer Shazali Abu Mansor, said the practice should cease because it is not in line with the government’s efforts to turn Malaysia into a “halal hub”.
 
“The government is working to turn Malaysia into a global halal hub, but our flag carrier MAS, is still serving alcohol on its flights.
 
“It is not in line (with government policy) and MAS needs to change,” he was quoted as saying in Sinar Harian today.
 
The Malaysian government has been trying to position the country as a hub for halal goods, services and know-how, particularly through the Ministry of International Trade and Industry’s Halal Industry Development Corporation.
 
Alcoholic drinks are considered non-halal in Islam and its consumption is forbidden to Muslims, due to its intoxicating properties.
 
The issue of serving alcohol on the national airline emerged recently, after Shah Alam MP Khalid Abdul Samad (left) asked the Ministry of Transport whether the cost of the alcohol is included in ticket prices.
 
The reply came in Parliament on Nov 11, when Deputy Transport Minister Abdul Aziz Kaprawi replied in the affirmative.
 
“That means the ticket I am buying, is subsidising alcoholic drinks for others. This is wrong,” said Khalid, the PAS parliamentarian, in response to Abdul Aziz.
 
“I think in most international airlines, it is passengers asking for liquor who have to pay for it. Otherwise, whether we realise it or not, we are colluding (in purchasing alcohol).”
 
Shazali’s comments published in Sinar Harian today is one of several articles that the Malay-language tabloid carried in today’s edition, taking up an entire page.
 
'Muslim customers cheated'

Others quoted in the report include the Muslim Consumers Association (PPIM) chief activist Nadzim Johan, who accused the MAS of cheating its Muslim customers.
 
“This is not a trivial issue because it involves Muslim passengers. Therefore, I believe that passengers can sue MAS if they feel they had been cheated by the company’s move to include the cost of liquor in the price of every ticket,” said Nadzim (right).
 
Meanwhile, University Utara Malaysia economist Amir Hussin Baharuddin said MAS should follow Emirates Airlines’ and Brunei Airlines’ example in not serving alcohol, despite also being world-renowned airlines.
 
He expressed concern that passengers would shun MAS once they realise that the tickets include the price of liquor, and urged MAS to remove alcoholic drinks from its menu while improving its services to raise its prestige.
 
In any case, not all passengers drink it and would not object if the airline no longer serves alcohol, he said.
 
The missionary group Multaqa Asatizah dan Pendakwah Malaysai (Murshid) added that what passengers want are low ticket prices and flights that are safe and on schedule, and it wouldn’t hurt MAS to stop serving alcohol.
 
“(My) non-Muslim friends who are frequent flyers confess that they have never considered whether a flight sells liquor or not, or whether the stewardesses are sexy or not, when they buy tickets. It is not on their minds,” said the group’s president Zaharuddin Abdul Rahman.
 
To a question whether the Muslim passengers on MAS have sinned, Zaharuddin replied that the sin is not on the passengers but the airline.
 
“The buyer’s intention is only to buy tickets but not alcohol, but MAS’ meal charges are also for alcohol,” he said.