AirAsia Must Eradicate The Corrupt Umno/BN Culture Of MAS

by Chandra Thu 06 Oct 2011, 08:14

AirAsia Must Eradicate The Corrupt Umno/BN Culture Of MAS

By Mariam Mokhtar

In MAS, MH stands for Malaysian hospitality which many of us know is
highly overrated; MH might as well stand for Malaysian humbug. Or
Malaysian hanky-panky.

A once proud airline is now a shadow of its former self. It is run by
the corrupt and the incompetent - all puppets of the government. If
the MACC were a responsible outfit, MAS would not be in the position
it is today and many MAS senior managers, and government ministers,
past and present would be languishing in jail.

The new MAS-AirAsia merger is shrouded in secrecy. Tony Fernandes is
just a public front and assumes the rôle of pilot in this move.Someone
else has charted the route for him. Who is that person?

One thing is certain. There is talk about solving the operational
issues in MAS. Will Tony be able to alter an Umno/BN culture that has
been allowed to corrupt all levels of the airline’s hierarchy?

This Umno/BN culture is mired in controversy. MAS, like other GLCs, is
haemorrhaging money. Attempts to stem this outflow have been
unsuccessful.

Would any CEO of MAS be as daring as Peter Hill, the British CEO of
Sri Lankan Airlines, who stood up against the Sri Lankan president
Mahinda Rajapaksa in 2007?

Rajapaksa, together with his family and several officials, was in the
United Kingdom to witness the passing out parade of Rajapaksa’s son
from the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth. When Rajapaksa demanded that
35 seats be reserved for his entourage to return to Colombo, Hill
refused to bump passengers off the flight from London. Hill may have
been the passengers’ hero but his work permit was rescinded.

Unfortunately, the work culture that exists in MAS is symptomatic of
our government’s performance. Some dishonest MAS staff allegedly
“steal” from the airline. Perhaps they are taking their cue from the
government officials or from previous chairmen. Perhaps they see this
as part of their perks and benefits. Cost cutting has reduced many
allowances which they once enjoyed.

One stewardess, who declined to be named, said that she had lost track
of all the items she took from the plane and according to her,
“everyone did it”. In an attempt to justify her actions, she blurted,
“What about the millions the chairmen have ‘stolen’?” She is wrong. It
is billions. Not millions.

How many politicians and their spouses have used their influence to
obtain free flights or bullied airline staff for upgrades for
themselves, their officials, friends or relatives?

How many times have we heard of a spouse of a leading politician
wasting tax payer’s money on transporting her shopping via MAS and MAS
Air Cargo?

How many genuine passengers have been victims of alleged over-booking
by MAS when it is well known that government officials were offered
preferential seats over normal fare-paying passengers?

It is also well known that MAS practices two sets of rules: one for
Malaysians and another for westerners. One Malaysian mother and child
were bumped off one flight to the UK. Under EU rules, cancellation of
the flight meant they were due compensation. Only her teenage son was
offered compensation because he had an English name. The mother was
refused compensation despite pointing out the discrepancy to the
senior managers in London.

In one European airport, it is alleged that some members of staff have
protected their long-term positions by fraternizing with senior
politicians and VVIPs. In most companies, employees would not be
allowed to remain in one posting indefinitely, but not, apparently, in
this location.

Another person alleges that it is common knowledge that a member of
staff would use influence to perform “dodgy” upgrades for friends or
people of influence and later be rewarded with “gifts”. Others allege,
too, that this person removes items from the aeroplane on a regular
basis. Cheese, toilet rolls, toiletry bags, duvets and blankets from
First and Business Class may not be classed as the crime of the
century, but it is theft all the same.

The modus operandi appears to be to wait till the flight and cabin
crew, have left the aeroplane. The security staff must be complicit in
these thefts. Could there be hanky-panky with food and fine wines from
the Golden lounge?

One wonders why work colleagues have remained silent about the alleged
petty theft. Are the senior station managers in these postings
incompetent or in collusion? Perhaps theses managers don’t want to
deal with the problem.

Co-workers are probably afraid of whistle-blowing because they fear
they will be known as troublemakers. They wonder, “Can the system be
trusted or will they be identified and crucified?”

Like the Malaysian public and corrupt politicians, employees are
reluctant to report irregularities because they do not see much hope
of redress.

Perhaps the worst sort sycophancy is the one which is ignored by all
because it involves VVIPs.

In one European airport, it is alleged by many that some MAS employees
turn up, even when they are not officially on duty, to attend to the
VVIPs. This is no charitable act or selfless dedication to duty. The
rewards are high. Cash and expensive, small personal electrical items
are the norm but the most prized of all is a title.

When even the bodyguards of the VVIPs proudly display their designer
labels, which lowly worker can fail to be impressed?

Which junior employee would refuse a title in exchange for making sure
personal baggage and the truckloads of luxury goods are safely loaded
onto the plane? Who dares ensure that the customs at KLIA will tax
these items?

It wouldn’t take a genius to trace the titles that are dished out to
MAS employees at some of the overseas airports which are frequented by
VVIPs. And it would surprise no-one that even those in menial
positions in the airline, can acquire Datukships.

The equilibrium at work must be disturbed as it is alleged that those
conferred titles are known to be generally work-shy, are late for

work, despite occasionally reporting for extra duty for VVIPs.

It is baffling that these employees are allowed, allegedly, to have a
stake, either directly or indirectly, in companies which provide
airline services which are in conflict with MAS cargo services.

Will Tony address the staff, who only attend to VVIPs and celebrities
who give them benefit in kind? This is a form of bribery and theft
from the airline, reminiscent of Umno political tactics.

Will he put pressure on those in charge of complaints? VIPs get their
complaints seen to promptly. Others may take months. The truly unlucky
customers have theirs swept under the carpet by lazy station managers.

So what else is going on? Tony should whip the corrupt and inefficient
MAS work-culture back into shape and the MACC should investigate these
irregularities. Then again, pigs might fly.

by **sun** Thu 06 Oct 2011, 13:36

chandra, thanks for update, +1 rep Clap

AirAsia Must Eradicate The Corrupt Umno/BN Culture Of MAS

AirAsia Must Eradicate The Corrupt Umno/BN Culture Of MAS

Re: AirAsia Must Eradicate The Corrupt Umno/BN Culture Of MAS