Perikatan Nasional (PN) MP Hasnizan Harun (Hulu Selangor) has called for the transport ministry to prohibit alcoholic beverages on Malaysia Airlines flights, citing the practice’s conflict with Islamic principles and its impact on Muslim flight attendants.
Speaking during the debate on the Supply (Budget) Bill 2026 in the Dewan Rakyat today, Hasnizan emphasized the need to address the issue with urgency.
“I’ve seen for myself the dilemma faced by flight attendants, who are Muslims, forced to serve something that is clearly haram in Islam,” he said, highlighting the discomfort experienced by Muslim crew members. He added that some passengers also feel uneasy about the current practice.
Not a New Proposal
This is not the first instance of such a call from PN’s ally, PAS. In 2017, then PAS Youth deputy chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari made a similar suggestion after a disruptive incident involving an intoxicated passenger forced a Malaysia Airlines flight to return to Melbourne.
Balancing Sensitivities and Rights
Hasnizan clarified that his proposal was not intended to restrict individual rights but to honor the religious sensitivities of Malaysia’s majority Muslim population. “This is not a question of denying the rights of anyone but a question of respecting religion and the sensitivities of the majority of Malaysian citizens,” he stated.
He urged the transport ministry to take decisive action to remove alcohol from Malaysia Airlines flights, framing it as a step toward cultural and religious respect.
