We all know that everybody needs a little help from the government (unless you are YTL, of course) and the national airline can do with that government help, perhaps more than any other GLCs.
But more than funding, what Malaysia Airlines needs is to do what it needs to, including carrying out painful cost-cutting measures, to stay alive.
As I see it, the carrier's current predicament dated back to when consultants were brought into the picture by one Nor Mohamed Yakcob to clean up the "mess" after the regional currency crisis. Over the years, these consultants did everything, including selling the office tower in KL and later ownership to Tony Fernandes, to try and make things work at MAS. Today, these consultants head Khazanah Nasional, who is the largest shareholder of MAS.
I would like to suggest that Bujai tells his kakis in the government that they will be most helpful if they can help liberalise the national airline from Khazanah (or Khazanah from the airline, if you're inclined that way). Let AJ & Co do what needs to be done to run MAS profitably without compromising its obligations as a national carrier.
And bring in as Malaysia Airilnes
Advisor Tan Sri Bashir Ahmad*, who was part of the team that took MAS to great heights during the years before the consultants came in.
* Bashir ended his tenure as MAHB chief on 6 June after 11 years. Badlisham Ghazali, a former computer & IT salesman, has been sent in (by Khazanah) to be the new MD to the dismay of many who were hoping to see a homegrown replacement. Badlisham, an ITM grad (and I say it with great pride), reports for duty on 23 June.
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