KUALA LUMPUR: The government will not ban alcoholic beverages from being served on flights, said Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai.
Liow said it is up to each airline to decide.
“Airlines such as Malaysia Airlines Bhd (MAB), which fly to various destinations around the world and fly different types of passengers, need to meet their customers’ needs especially for business class and first class,” he said in a written reply to Datuk Khairuddin Aman Razali (PAS-Kuala Nerus).
Khairuddin had asked the ministry to state its stand on a ban on alcoholic drinks in airlines.
Liow, who is also Bentong Member of Parliament, said it has become commonplace for airlines in the world to provide liquor to passengers.
However, he stressed that the decision by the government is not to encourage passengers to consume liquor.
Pas made the call to completely ban alcohol on flights in June after a disruptive passenger led to a KL-bound aircraft being forced to turn back to Melbourne's Tullamarine Airport
In the incident, the passenger, believed to be drunk, reportedly attempted to enter the cockpit of Malaysia Airlines flight MH128.
MAB had stopped serving alcohol on flights under three hours, starting January 1 in response to the preference of the majority of its customers.
Alcohol is still served on regional flights to other countries.