Malaysia Airlines scores 2-year partnership with FAM

Malaysia Airlines (MAB) has inked a two-year partnership with the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) as its official airline partner. This will see both parties working together on marketing and promotional activities. MAB is also the official airline for Team Harimau Malaya and Harimau Muda.This comes shortly after the airline decided to invest RM40 million over a period of four years for Team MAS, a flgaship partnership programme in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth and Sports Malaysia, The National Sports Council of Malaysia and The National Sports Institute of Malaysia .MAB's group CEO Izham Ismail said just like athletes, MAB is the nation's flag bearer across the world. "This partnership signifies our overall support for the development of sports for the country. Sports and the support for Harimau Malaya transcends race, religion, age, and cultural differences. We look forward to a mutually beneficial relationship that not only empowers the athletes, officials, and organizers but also reiterates our commitment towards building the nation," he added.Meanwhile, FAM's president Haji Hamidin Bin Hj Mohd Amin said he believes the sky is the limit when two national brands converge. "We are proud to be associated with Malaysia Airlines the national carrier and we hope to have a long-term partnership that is mutually beneficial for both parties," he added.The airline has been making headlines recently due to chatter about the government reportedly studying options such as refinancing or selling off MAB. Nonetheless, despite the recent challenges faced by MAB, its brand health among Malaysians still remains high with a score of +40.0.(Read also: Malaysia Airlines calls off global pitch, tells 4As it needs to rethink marketing plans)