BETTER FOR MAS TO BE ‘MARRIED TO AIRASIA’
Veteran journalist says this is better than allowing national carrier to die
IT is better for Malaysia Airlines Bhd (MAS) to be “married” to AirAsia than to wantonly allow the iconic airline to die.
Veteran newsman Datuk A. Kadir Jasin said AirAsia had “married” MAS before, referring to their share swap agreement on Aug 9, 2011.
The deal was short-lived, falling through eight months later.
“When the ‘divorce’ occurred soon after, MAS was worse off. AirAsia seems to be in a prolonged state of gila talak (divorce sickness) as it is known to be still interested in MAS,” Kadir wrote on his Facebook account.
Therefore, it was better to be married to AirAsia than to wantonly allow the company to die, he said.
“I understand that there are other suitors. I can’t say if they are real men or just dreamers. Whatever the case may be, my plea is don’t let the MAS name die.”
While the government and taxpayers might no longer be able to continue to lose money on MAS, “it does not mean closing the airline down is the only answer”, he said.
He hinted that a recommendation had been made to the government for MAS to be closed.
“I say, not so fast. This looks like an easy way out. I smell something unpleasant (about this . Fishy even,” he said.
MAS, he said, was a great name that was globally recognised, and there was a lot of goodwill attached to it.
It was a brand that had a “considerable monetary value”, he said.
Kadir said there was no shame in selling it either.
“Even the wealthy Switzerland and Holland sold their national carriers to foreign airlines — Lufthansa and Air France, respectively. MAS is already in partnership with foreign airlines either through joint ventures or code-sharing, the latest being with Japan Airlines and Singapore Airlines.”
However, closing MAS would create a duopoly of AirAsia and Malindo Airways, he said.
“Neither can fill the void because their business models are different from MAS.”