YOURSAY | ‘No one selects to fly with an airline for sentimental values anymore.’

Dr M not against foreign ownership of beleaguered MAS

OceanMaster: In a globalised world, air travel and air freight are simply commodities.

The main reason for the Malaysian government intervening to keep Malaysia Airlines (MAS) afloat through sovereign wealth fund Khazanah Nasional Berhad and billions of ringgit just for sentimental reasons doesn't make sense.

No one selects an airline for sentimental values anymore. When passengers book flights, it is about safety, cost and comfort. Safety is a given in this industry, comfort is nice to have, but cost is a must-have.

The budget airlines are offering pricing mechanism that are extremely attractive all the time.

Airlines everywhere in the world are reinventing themselves to stay competitive. The real change that is happening is not just about airlines alone but about the global supply chain supported by Industry 4.0. The survivors are the ones who constantly innovate and always keeping themselves just slightly ahead of the curve.

MAS is riddled with management issues, union problems and employees who are living in the past thinking the nation and the tax-paying citizens owe them a living.

Sell off MAS and save the taxpayers’ money.

Malaysian-United: It is mentioned in the article that Khazanah injected another RM300 million into MAS in August, following the first RM500 million capital injection in March.

So, from March to August, it can be assumed that MAS suffered nearly RM100 losses each month or RM3 million each day. This is mind-boggling information.

Whoever is remotely interested in taking over MAS will definitely want zero interference by the government and politicians to run the airlines successfully.

It is high time that the country does away with all the unwanted racial and religious-based policies if it wants to attract decent investors to rescue these government-linked companies.

And there should not be any protests claiming the Malay race is being threatened when a foreign investor takes over MAS.

Falcon: MAS is not the only national carrier in trouble. There are other big-name strugglers, including Air India, facing difficulties acquiring new owners.

Any suitor interested in MAS needs to consider the hidden baggage of internal problems, debts and the race supremacy mantra associated with this brand today.

The MAS founding fathers are probably distressed in their graves seeing how a great brand was brought down and dragged through the mud via mismanagement and misplaced policies.

A micro perspective of what is happening nationally?

Chuen Tick: Looking at the leakages in MAS over the years, I really wonder if there is any foreign investor with the courage or deep pockets who wishes to step forward and take over the national carrier.

Maybe, AirAsia founder Tony Fernandes can be encouraged to do so as some form of service or contribution to the country.

Anonymous Malaysia 2018: I always believe in the best man (or company) for any job. If you are the best, then you get the job.

So, there is nothing wrong if a foreigner could do the job of saving MAS. If we wish to move forward and upward, get any person who could do the job efficiently.

Analyze This: What is the cash-strapped MAS doing with the dinosaur (or white elephant) Airbus A380 aircraft which it purchased?

Despite being the world’s largest passenger aircraft, the A380 has proven to be a novelty purchase which is practically unprofitable for most carriers.

Redmann: When did our Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad study economics?

Suddenly, now with his back against the wall, he has thrown his patriotism out of the window as he contemplates a foreign purchaser for the beleaguered "national airline".

MAS should have never begun after the Malaysia-Singapore Airlines (MSA) ceased operations in 1972. Our neighbour Singapore then started a new national airline (SIA) and we had to ape them immediately.

After that, it has been endless subsidies, bailouts and free government money to keep MAS afloat.

PW Cheng: Previously, Mahathir complained so much when a foreign company became a Proton shareholder. But now, he is agreeable to selling the country’s national airline MAS to a foreigner.

Please be consistent, Mahathir. He has broken so many promises which makes it difficult for the public to trust him.

Among his blunders were picking two wrong candidates as prime ministers. How many more of his mistakes are Malaysians going to face before he steps down?

P Dev Anand Pillai: Even though the Umno-PAS alliance will blow up the issue of the government considering foreign ownership for the national carrier MAS, the sad reality is when is the government going to show the world that it has capable industrialists, technocrats and entrepreneurs?

The current set of industrialists, technocrats and entrepreneurs are handed companies in a silver platter and yet instead of taking such huge organisations to the next level, those in charge go running back to the government with their companies badly ridden in debt.

So even if Umno-PAS comes to power in 2023, the new alliance will be faced with the same problem. Shall we wait until the country becomes bankrupt?

Malaysian United: The prime minister’s comment that he is not keen on solving his problems by changing people in his cabinet shows his irresponsible attitude.

Since Mahathir is reluctant to change cabinet ministers, he needs to be replaced immediately. The longer he stays on with the non-performing cabinet members, the more problems Malaysians will face.

Hmmm: Indeed, if Mahathir looks at his cabinet and says he cannot find any minister who is under-performing and yet the country is not doing well, then the problem must be the prime minister.

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