Finally, Najib resets Malaysian aviation — Ahmad Razlan Shafie
MAY 4 — Much has been said about the Malaysia Airlines-AirAsia deal, from the time it was sealed to this week, when it was unwound.
The issue many fail to address is the illogical and irrational need to even have the share swap. A collaboration would have sufficed back then, had this been necessary.
But Khazanah Nasional must have felt an instant noodle fix was required because their decade-old turnarounds did not show results.
The former MAS managing director Tengku Azmil Zaharuddin was doing fine renewing the fleet when he was unceremoniously kicked upstairs, back to Khazanah.
Did Khazanah ever tell its chairman, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, that Tengku Azmil was on the right track and results would show soon enough?
After all, Pemandu’s plans will only show results after a while, why not MAS?
I’m glad Najib has decided to abort the deal and set up an aviation board. We need professionals to run Malaysia Airlines and not bean counters just looking at the bottom line.
I know the prime minister is busy and has political battles to face. Therefore, he has no time to look into the fate of MAS, but this time, he came through for the national airline.
It is our pride and joy, not a company that is a revolving door for managers from outside, especially its rivals, and business plans that don’t make sense.
MAS was doing well with Firefly when AirAsia got in and killed the jet service. Now, MAS has fewer routes but more planes.
What can it do? I don’t know but I hope it takes the opportunity given by Najib to fly again, higher and higher, just like the other GLCs that the prime minister is fixing, such as Tenaga Nasional and Keretapi Tanah Melayu.
The prime minister wants an economic transformation for the good of Malaysia. Let us take that chance to make these companies and Malaysia soaring towards excellence under his leadership.
* Ahmad Razlan Shafie reads The Malaysian Insider.
* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.
