'Go to the polls based on facts. And AirAsia is a fact,' says AirAsia group CEO Tony Fernandes. 

AirAsia boss Tony Fernandes says the government gave the airline the opportunity to become one of the biggest international brands in the world. (Reuters pic)

PETALING JAYA: AirAsia group CEO Tony Fernandes has credited the government for the budget airline’s success in a video clip advising Malaysians to vote wisely in the coming polls.

“We started as a little two-plane airline where the whole world was against us.

“Over the last 10 years, we’ve seen a government that helped and provided us the opportunity to build ourselves into one of the biggest international brands in the world. And that’s not easy for a Malaysian company,” he said in the video uploaded to YouTube yesterday.

Fernandes said AirAsia had since won many awards, adding that he credited the government for this.

“AirAsia has gone from two planes to 230 planes, from 200,000 passengers to 89 million passengers this year. And I believe the prime minister put people first, and allowed AirAsia to grow despite opposition from all over the place.”“I always used to say, to the government and to the prime minister, put people first, then the decision becomes easy.