Analyst: Sale of Malaysia Airlines would face resistance

Any effort to sell Malaysia Airlines (MAB) would meet stiff resistance, one analyst contended, after Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad said that is one option the govt is considering for the flag carrier. Mahathir said March 11 that the sale, refinancing or closure of MAB were possibilities as the airline continues its turnaround efforts. There are “local and foreign firms expressing interest” in the carrier, he said March 20. But selling or closing the govt-backed airline, even to a private Malaysian company or individual, would meet political resistance, aviation analyst and Endau Analytics founder Sukhor Yusof said. “At this stage, I think the govt is just testing the market and gauging the appetite for MAB,” Sukhor said. “I doubt it will be sold because as there might be too much baggage". <br/>