It looks like firebrand Bersatu youth leader Wan Ahmad Fayhsal has unleashed his fury at his nemesis, the DAP, yet again; this time it was over the recent disturbing incidences of serious technical issues plaguing the country’s beleaguered national airline MAS.
In fact, according to a recent news report, the controversial Machang MP had even expressed his suspicion that there could be an internal conspiracy to bring down the trouble-stricken carrier!
Furthermore, Wan Fayhsal has questioned the federal government over its rationale in offering a competitor from a neighbouring country a “sweetheart” deal which according to him has adversely affected MAS; this was over Singapore International Airlines Engineering Company (SIAEC) being allowed to operate from Subang airport starting early this year.
He has further contended that the real reason for the national airline company’s problems was the Madani government's failure to protect the country’s interests in the aviation sector.
Incidentally, Wan Fayhsal has also been (and still is) the most vocal opponent of the Israeli-linked BlackRock’s involvement in the recent privatisation deal of Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB); so much so, his incessant objection to it had eventually resulted in him being handed a six-month suspension from parliament.
Nevertheless, the brunt of his anger appears to be directed at the transport ministry, which of course is headed by DAP’s secretary-general Anthony Loke.
Wan Fayhsal, who was the deputy minister of youth and sports in the much-maligned PN government under Muhyiddin Yassin, went on to take a potshot at the current federal transport minister, for allegedly treating the frequent technical breakdowns suffered by MAS' aircrafts as somewhat trivial; he also slammed the government for indulging in corporate exercises that were not beneficial to the country - just like the MAHB deal!
Earlier, Loke was reported to have admitted that the national carrier has been badly affected by mechanical issues as well as a shortage of skilled maintenance personnel who may have resigned to take up more lucrative offers from other airline companies.
Meanwhile, another ex-minister who has been in the news over the latest controversy involving MAS was Wee Ka Siong - the former transport minister who had also served in Muhyiddin Yassin’s PN government during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The MCA president had argued that he was prompted to raise the issue following complaints he had received from the public over several incidents involving the national airline relating to major technical glitches.
What “sin” did I commit...?
According to Wee, he did not commit any “sin” by bringing up the matter and that it was only fair for the transport minister to “acknowledge” the failings, investigate the matter and help the airline company to fix the problems.
Wee, the Ayer Hitam MP, was responding to allegations by Loke, the DAP secretary-general, that his public outburst recently will only undermine people’s confidence in MAS and worsen the situation.
Incidentally, last year Wee was questioned on the controversy over the procurement of 104 units of faulty ventilators costing millions of ringgit from China at the height of the pandemic which may have indirectly caused the loss of lives of hundreds of patients; however, he had “cleared’ his name during the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) enquiry by citing that he “never knew” of the problem and had merely arranged for transportation of the goods from the China supplier.
A new problem… or an inherited one?
For the record, MAS’ problems had actually started in the mid nineties under Dr Mahathir when businessman Tajuddin Ramly had bought over the controlling stake in the airline; however, things didn't turn out as planned and it ended with a “bail out” costing the government hundreds of millions of ringgit.
Then, in 2005, in spite of being back in the government’s hands, MAS had actually reported a massive loss of RM1.3 billion, prompting the appointment of Idris Jala to turn around the fortunes of the once proud airline which then managed to post impressive profits from 2007 to 2009.
Nevertheless, even back then there were some questions raised about the sustainability of Idris’ achievements during his time helming the airline, with detractors alleging that basically what he did was to trim the muscle of MAS by slashing expenditures and killing the morale of the staff as well as culling the company’s talent pool.
True enough, two years after Idris left his post, MAS suffered one of the worst losses in the history of the aviation industry, a jaw-dropping RM2.5 billion; in fact, overall, it is estimated that the company had lost upwards of RM20 billion of taxpayers’ money from 1994 to 2015 alone!
Significantly too, MAS' travails has been a common feature during the tenure of three prime ministers (all from BN) - Dr Mahathir, Ahmad Badawi and Najib Razak; while no fewer than five MCA stalwarts were the transport ministers then - Ling Liong Sik, Chan Kong Choy, Ong Tee Keat, Kong Cho Ha and Liow Tiong Lai, with the current MCA president joining the “distinguished” club in 2020.
While Wan Fayhsal and Wee Ka Siong, who were comrades during their heydays together in Muhyiddin's government, may be training their guns now at DAP and its leader Anthony Loke for the airline's current ills, even back in 2015 another critic had this to say: “You have to ask if MAS actually has the talent and the morale to carry on…?” Sounds familiar?
In that context, while the problems affecting the iconic national carrier are something of grave concern involving the safety and the lives of its passengers, are they really something new which can be singlehandedly fixed in a jiffy by any transport minister?
Information source: Malaysia Gazette, Sinar Harian, Star, The Edge and MOT website
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