A NATIONAL TRAGEDY

On 9 February 2012, former MAS Executive Vice President Dr. Mohamadon Abdullah wrote;

Malaysia Airlines grew from a small Domestic & Regional Carrier to a major player in Airline Premier League. Engineering developed from a Line Maintenance Facility to become a major Aircraft Overhaul Facility in the region (initially supported by expatriate staff but ultimately replaced by Malaysians, through a structured Nationalization programme). Flight Catering operated from a small flight kitchen and became a preferred Catering Supplier. Flight Operations has been recognized as one the best in the world and our Pilots are in great demand, due to a rigid technical training and human factors programmes. There are many more areas that we can really be proud of. Management Succession Plan was emplaced. All these were destroyed in 1994 as a result of the so called “restructuring” and the “virtual airline” concept. I recall 254 years of engineering “experience” were cast aside by just a stroke of a pen. Malaysia Airlines Academy was planned to be a Centre of excellence but now has become “Manipal University”.

Today, MAS has engaged many foreign expertise either through direct recruit or through “Consulting” services (which result in $$$$$ outflow).  Credit and recognition must be given to the pioneer Leaders who took the airline from operating BN2s, F27 and B737-200 to the modern fleet of B747s, B737s, B777s, DC-10s and Airbus series.

Now a foreigner who has no inkling of why MAS was established and has developed (and never gone through the pains of the early years) has been appointed an Advisor. Imagine, a foreign Company is providing Catering Services at Malaysia’s major Aviation Hub.

What a JOKE after 55 Years of Independence! Where is that Malaysian Pride? It is indeed a NATIONAL TRAGEDY.

Earlier on 22 Sept 2011, former MAS Managing Director Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahman wrote;

I have just read your article (here) and would like to add my views. I am of the view that the air transport industry in the country has over the years been mired by wrong government decisions and periodical mismanagement by the operators.

The current state of affairs of MAS has been caused by:

(i)         Some 15 years ago MAS management was messed up and the very fabric of its operation was destroyed and until now it has not been fully revived despite efforts being made to revive it.

(ii)        The situation has been compounded by the wrong decisions of the government to allow Air Asia to operate on domestic and regional routes in the beginning and later on long haul  routes without any proper study on the impact.

(iii)       The authorities failed to appreciate the role and responsibilities of a National Carrier and wrongly placed MAS to compete against a private low cost carrier. It should be noted that it was wrong to convert Air-Asia’s license from international routes not operated by MAS into domestic routes without any study on the impact.

(iv)       Those concerned have failed to appreciate that Malaysia’s air transport premier travel market is very small and that the market is very ‘price sensitive.

There is no way that MAS can compete against Air Asia. Up to now I must say that ‘Nasi hampir jadi bubur’. If they carry out their proposed scheme I confirm that ‘ Nasi terus jadi bubur’. I am surprised that so many clever people cannot under stand simple arithmetic.

You may distribute my comments to the members of your network.

With kind regards,

Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahman.