Dr M shares view on what a national airline means for Malaysia
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Gone are the days when every country had a national airline, says Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad NSTP/AHMAD IRHAM MOHD NOOR |
KUALA LUMPUR: Gone are the days when every country had a national airline, says Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
Malaysia, he said, could still have a national airline, but it did not have to be owned by the government.
“Now, you can have a number of airlines,” he said in an article that appeared in Going Places, the in-flight magazine of Malaysia Airlines.
“One of those can be called a national airline because it carries the symbol (of the nation), but it can be operated by the private sector.”
Dr Mahathir was responding to a question on whether there was still value in having a national carrier, other than for patriotism or pride.
It was reported that the struggling Malaysia Airlines was looking at a number of options to stem losses in the competitive airline industry.
Dr Mahathir recalled that he had always flown with Malaysia Airlines in the past.
“The food was good, and, of course, being the prime minister, I get to fly in first class,” he said. [...]
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It was reported that the struggling Malaysia Airlines was looking at a number of options to stem losses in the competitive airline industry NSTP/NURUL SHAFINA JEMENON |
He underscored that the information technology (IT) and new tech sectors could provide jobs with better incomes if Malaysians were willing to adapt and reskill themselves to serve in these areas.
Dr Mahathir pointed out that local companies now had the capability to produce microchips, which were previously, mostly, produced by foreign companies.
“We want to go into AI (artificial intelligence), but it will take some time to materialise,” the prime minister said.
He said there were many investment proposals, but the government had to provide the necessary workforce.
Dr Mahathir said the government wanted Malaysians to be conversant with new technologies so that they could serve in new industries.
Read above highlighted sections on what he has said, which in many ways reflected his mentality and obsession on technology. I am surprised he didn't mention his "cars".
Mahathir has always been enamoured of high tech and heavy industries and get-rich-quick schemes, eg. Perwaja, Proton (now Car No 3 and his Bodek-ite's Kar-Kipas), man-made islands, A.R.E in Bukit Merah (now Lynas), FOREX, Maminco-Mukawasa, and of course, buying technology (Lotus, seaplanes, motorcycle, etc) and not forgetting MAS.
Yes, his eff-ing around with MAS eg. by handing the once-profitable and well run airlines to one of his macai's Tajudin Ramli was a monumental disaster, not forgetting he did it because he needed cash flow at that time for another of his equally monumental failures. MAS has never ever recovered from the evil touch of King Minus.
Totally unrepentant, he ignores his own party strategist's advice on a far more important national issue, namely, food.
In an earlier post Someone speaks the Truth Pribumi Party's supreme council member Rais Hussin (also Pribumi's strategist) said Pakatan Harapan appeared to have stopped listening to the public after one year in Putrajaya and needed to address five key issues if it is to retain its hold on power. One of which has been an adequate domestic supply of food.
Rais criticised the Mahathir-led government for ignoring agro-based entrepreneurs so as to reduce food imports. Rais pointed out the country’s “abysmally poor” state in food security currently, noting that annual food imports stand at a humongous RM50 billion.
He said Malaysia has much abundant fertile land and urged the government to set aside 10 per cent as its food bank, saying, “If you go to Scandinavia, they have brought back glory to agri. In Vietnam, there are agricultural guys who wear Rolex as big as my wrist. We have to think long term and if we don’t, we will have a problem.”
He was also scathing of Pakatan coalition leaders' casual treatment of their Buku Harapan. But he truly stuck his neck out when he criticised his party chairman and PM Mahathir for dismissing the GE14 manifesto as “not a bible”. He said such remarks showed leaders were trying to “run away from responsibility”.
But what must have struck straight into Mahathir's evil black heart was Rais stating sarcastically, “I am against Go-Jek because it will create more problems in Malaysia than solving problems. And yes I am from PH. Third national car, that I’m not totally for it, what more the flying car, that is comical”.
Needless to say, the Old Man blew his top and threatened Rais with party discipline for daring to say if Pakatan doesn't pull up its socks, it will lose in GE15 - for more read The Emperor is unhappy with Rais Hussin.
As Najib mentioned, before Mahathir punishes Rais Hussin for saying 'The Emperor has no clothes on', he should punish Lim Kit Siang first for warning about the exact same GE15 doom, and much earlier too.
Short as Rais Hussin's career in Pribumi is likely to be, what is worth noting is Mahathir's continuing dismissal or ignoring of Rais Hussin's timely advice for Malaysia to focus on agriculture (not so much commercial type like palm oil, rubber etc, but for vital domestic food for our rakyat).
The Old Man fallaciously thinks he is right in his penchant-obsession for hi-tech stuff, heavy industries and get-rich-quick kerbau schemes like FOREX, Maminco, Perwaja etc. He has forgotten the ordinary rakyat who need to eat. Yes, he feeds his 40 horses on carrots and his sons drive around on powerful cars, but the average citizen needs rice and at least some veggies in his stomach to get by.
Totally unrepentant, he ignores his own party strategist's advice on a far more important national issue, namely, food.
In an earlier post Someone speaks the Truth Pribumi Party's supreme council member Rais Hussin (also Pribumi's strategist) said Pakatan Harapan appeared to have stopped listening to the public after one year in Putrajaya and needed to address five key issues if it is to retain its hold on power. One of which has been an adequate domestic supply of food.
Rais criticised the Mahathir-led government for ignoring agro-based entrepreneurs so as to reduce food imports. Rais pointed out the country’s “abysmally poor” state in food security currently, noting that annual food imports stand at a humongous RM50 billion.
He said Malaysia has much abundant fertile land and urged the government to set aside 10 per cent as its food bank, saying, “If you go to Scandinavia, they have brought back glory to agri. In Vietnam, there are agricultural guys who wear Rolex as big as my wrist. We have to think long term and if we don’t, we will have a problem.”
He was also scathing of Pakatan coalition leaders' casual treatment of their Buku Harapan. But he truly stuck his neck out when he criticised his party chairman and PM Mahathir for dismissing the GE14 manifesto as “not a bible”. He said such remarks showed leaders were trying to “run away from responsibility”.
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Malaysian Flying Car made "... in Japan", wakakaka |
Needless to say, the Old Man blew his top and threatened Rais with party discipline for daring to say if Pakatan doesn't pull up its socks, it will lose in GE15 - for more read The Emperor is unhappy with Rais Hussin.
As Najib mentioned, before Mahathir punishes Rais Hussin for saying 'The Emperor has no clothes on', he should punish Lim Kit Siang first for warning about the exact same GE15 doom, and much earlier too.
Short as Rais Hussin's career in Pribumi is likely to be, what is worth noting is Mahathir's continuing dismissal or ignoring of Rais Hussin's timely advice for Malaysia to focus on agriculture (not so much commercial type like palm oil, rubber etc, but for vital domestic food for our rakyat).
The Old Man fallaciously thinks he is right in his penchant-obsession for hi-tech stuff, heavy industries and get-rich-quick kerbau schemes like FOREX, Maminco, Perwaja etc. He has forgotten the ordinary rakyat who need to eat. Yes, he feeds his 40 horses on carrots and his sons drive around on powerful cars, but the average citizen needs rice and at least some veggies in his stomach to get by.
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King Minus failed abysmally in almost everything he touched - Lim KS knows but has since 09 May 18 grown dumb |
A flag-carrier still has significance in international Air traffic landing rights negotiations. Nowadays , most of the largest are largely or completely private ie. not non-government owned.
ReplyDeleteAir France is still France's flag carrier, though it has been privatised.
In fact, it is a merged company with KLM, the Dutch flag carrier.
Cathay Pacific has always been privately owned, Qantas is a privatised public company.
Hi Tech and food.
ReplyDeleteIts NOT Hi Tech VS. Food.
The government needs initiatives in both. Government is NOT purely about social welfare and food programs. Otherwise it is Government by lowest-common-denominator.
Like it or not, the economy's future growth will be heavily Technology driven.
Unless the country is a basket case, which it is not, it needs to look at providing opportunities for future growth, as well as a social safety net.
The key on the Tech side is to harness the best talent in the country, regardless of skin colour , in strategic areas.
Old mid-20th Century industries such as Heavy Industry and cars should not be a priority.
High tech VS food!
ReplyDeleteIt has always been the case by the govt of the day - not just now but dulu, kini, dan selamanya!
Hide behind proton, was the scheme to have high tech & good engineering jobs.
The main failed factor Telenor/Axiata merger is the huge retrenchments of workers. No job no food!
The advancement in digital banking operation entails massive reduction of front desk bank workers. Again, no job no food!
Making the situation even more difficult to handle is the majority of these layoffs belongs to one single race!
So, u got better solution than farts?