Tuesday, September 27, 2011

WHO ARE WE TO BLAME FOR MAS FAILURES?

The Malaysian Insider Tuesday 27, 2011 headline reads “Dr M says fed up with MAS, backs Air Asia swap deal”.

I just could not understand the involvement of Dr. M in the deal. Is he the owner or part owner of Air Asia that gave him the right to comment on the deal? I personally feel that the deal is lopsided with MAS ending up the biggest loser. It does not make sense to me to see our national carrier with a long track record of service being swallowed up by a ‘junior’ airline. I think MAS loyal staffs were right in expressing their protest over the deal and if this matter is not accorded a fair treatment, I think MAS/Air Asia is heading for disaster.

And even before the deal can be formalized, Air Asia has gone into a ‘shopping spree’ by acquiring English premier league football club Queen’s Park Ranger. I do not know the gains to be derived by this acquisition and whose decision was it for the airline to make the acquisition. From what I read, the name of Tony Fernandez is all over the media, and it would seem that he is the owner of the club. But one wonders where did he get the money to acquire the club? And acquiring an English football club is no small money.

Now, going back to the statement made by Dr M, one needs to look at the failure and success of MAS since its inception. There were times when MAS was flying high with excellent in-flight service that equals the best in the world. I can still say that MAS has maintain such excellent in-flight service; unlike Air Asia where every bit of service is at a cost. I dread ordering the in-flight Air Asia catering service that is served at exorbitant rates.

I think, MAS as a national carrier ought not to be blamed for any delays in the finalization of the swap deal. Blame it on the top management. And who actually decides the appointment of the top management all these years? Is it not the government itself? If you were to appoint a ‘crook’ or a ‘thief’ to the top management, then don’t blame MAS for all the failures. And do we not see ‘crooks’ and ‘thieves’ heading MAS in the past? And who was the guy that caused MAS to lose billions, and yet no one is really interested in bringing him to the courts.

Had MAS been led by people of integrity and God fearing, it will today be one of the best managed airlines in the world. It is easy to blame, but difficult to accept responsibility. This is where we Malaysian have gone wrong.


CRUSADE AGAINST CORRUPTION

10 comments:

Malaysian said...

Dato

I can't help to think if changing the top person will help MAS. We did that before and nothing happen. The main problem is the top management and not MAS itself. Why should MAS sponsor a football team? How does that help MAS? Also, why should Air Asia use MAS maintenance facility? It seems as though Air Asia is gaining more from this deal than MAS. This is another UMNO way of stealing our money. We must kick UMNO out if we want to save this country and UMNO!

Salam

cskok8 said...

How do they share maintenance facilities. They use totally different aircraft. For short-haul routes, AA use Airbus 320s, MAS Boeing 737s. For long-haul AA use Airbus 340s, MAS Boeing 777 and 747. Only the medium-haul fleet (Airbus 330s) are similar, even that I am not sure whether they have same engines.

bruno said...

Dato,the day after MAS came into existence,after the split with Singapore it was a profitable company,and there was no local airline to complete with MAS.Unlike in other countries,especially the USA,there are countless of airlines and competition is very stiff.

Because of political interference and corruption,MAS was run to the ground.But MAS's losses are some other Umnoputras gains.Because of these mass corruption,morale was so low that nobody cares anymore.Because all these hard earned profits were gobbled up so fast,that even the cash reserves were wheel barrowed away too.

So when management raised their hands up in surrender,as there is no point in making profits anymore,that was the beginning of the end of MAS.The workforce from top to the bottom down was all 'tidak apa' attitude.Nobody cares about work performance and productivty anymore.Because the workers know that even if the airline makes money,there will be no money left for their year end bonuses,as MAS was being robbed blind.

mike joey said...

Dato,
The failure not only of MAS but many other institutions bores down to people with NO INTEGRITY and powered
with GREED for self-interest. That's
about it all. Nothing else matters for them. To these people MONEY is
their God.

alvin said...

I refer to Bruno.There were two airlines in MALAYSIA.One was MSA and the other was PELANDOK AIRWAYS!When MAS was created PELANDOK AIRWAYS was still operating.Eventualy it was merged with MAS.In 1980 a charter airlines company,MALAYSIA AIR CHARTER,was appointed as Malaysia's second Airlines.

Riversidegrass said...

"...........I just could not understand the involvement of Dr. M in the deal. Is he the owner or part owner of Air Asia that gave him the right to comment on the deal?.........."

" So never put thieves to work in a bank "

:(

Frankie said...

Datuk,

Your last paragraph "Had MAS been led by people of integrity and God fearing, it will today be one of the best managed airlines in the world". Isn't your comment also valid for the government as well as all the GLCs and government agencies?

We have people of zero integrity (some are downright criminals), dishonest and low intelligence in the government acting as if they are God's chosen ones to run this country. In the process, these same zero integrity, dishonest low life people appoint people who share their same negative traits to head the government agencies and GLCs. So do we expect any progress or improvements from the government and its GLCs and agencies? We already have sufficient proofs from the actions and attitudes of the top honchos heading the AG office, PDRM, MACC, EC, Judiciary and host of GLCs. Nothing more needs to be said about these low lifers.

All it needs is just some "business" people with some intelligence who are able to make the right connections and rub shoulders with the zero integrity dishonest low lifers to profit from all these shady deals. By the time the malaysian public wake up from its tidak-apa slumber, there would be nothing left but empty shells of GLCs and a equally empty headed government. The wiser malaysians have already made all the necessary provisions to avoid being caught when the Malaysian "Greek" tragedy strikes.

Frankie said...

Datuk,

How can a small country like Singapore was able to create and develop their own Singapore Airline (SIA) into a world renowned, first class and highly acclaimed and highly profitable airline when SIA was "born" together with MAS? Simple answer: There was no hanky panky in SIA administration and management. The Singapore government would simply not allowed it unlike our Malaysian government practice of cronyism and "gua tolong lu, lu tolong gua" philosophy/governing style.

Kamal Sanusi said...

Salam Dato

Further reading on MAS-AA swap deal can be read here:

http://sakmongkol.blogspot.com/

mitchell said...

Salam Dato'
what is indeed scary is, even with a change in government,the "shit" created by the current government will surely take helluva undoing. Pray, God give us the strenght to keep the struggle going to clean our nation.