KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia Airlines has dropped a bombshell, saying its former flight attendant,  who is being held in a Paris detention centre for alleged sexual assault on a passenger, was terminated after he admitted to committing misconduct.

National Union of Flight Attendants Malaysia (Nufam) president Ismail Nasaruddin said this was revealed by MAS human resource personnel during a conciliation meeting with the Industrial Relations Department in Shah Alam on Tuesday.

“We have asked for proof from MAS and the IRD officer has adjourned the conciliation exercise till next week,” said Ismail, who led a team to represent the flight attendant.

The union lodged a complaint with the department after the national carrier sacked the employee without holding a domestic inquiry.

Last week, MAS confirmed the employee was sacked for breaching the company’s code of conduct.

The Malaysian Insider understands that the 57-year-old employee was dismissed from employment about two weeks after the alleged incident on Aug 5.

MAS sent a letter dated Aug 22 to the employee’s previous home address in Shah Alam and a neighbour handed over the document to a family member on Sept 15.

Ismail said he was neither surprised nor shocked by the revelation by MAS, but would give the airline the opportunity to produce documentary evidence at the next meeting.

Meanwhile, lawyer Shailender Bhar, who is representing the family of the former flight attendant, said the ex-employee did not write to the airlines nor did anyone from the company meet him in Paris.

“I have checked with him and the family. There is no written admission of misconduct by the flight attendant.” — The Malaysian Insider

This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on November 20, 2014.