The dawn of a new Malaysian Hospitality

This evening, Malaysia Airlines will embark into new era. After nearly forty years of national carrier as Malaysia Airlines (on 1 Oct 1972 it was then known as Malaysia Airlines System or MAS), a new intercontinental super wide body will enter the service and bring upon a whole new product range to the 5 star premium carrier.

This evening (2130hrs Malaysian time), the first Malaysia Airlines A380-800 bearing the tail number 9M-MNA will officially leave Airbus facility in Toulouse after being handed over to the national carrier. Group CEO Ahmad Jauhari Yahya and his senior managers will officially take delivery of the pioneer A380 for Malaysia Airlines, witness by Malaysian Ambassador to France Jen (B) Tan Sri Aziz Zainal, Director General of DCA Dato’ Azharuddin and several representatives of Ministry of Finance and Khazanah.

It is scheduled to arrive in KL International Airport 1030hrs on Friday 29 June 2012.

15 minutes to midnight on 1 July, this aircraft would leave for London Heathrow for the inaugural service on MH 002. It would be a dawn of a new era for Malaysia Airlines.

Malaysia Airlines first operated wide bodied aircrafts for KUL-LHR  sector with the arrival of DC-10-30 in 1976. It embarked into a new era when Rolls Royce power RB211 B747-200 aircrafts started serving the same route from April 1982. A GE powered B747-300 joined the route by 1986. By the year 1990, Malaysia Airlines saw a new era when B747-400 came into the service and automatically enable KUL to serve directly to LHR without a technical stopover in West Asia. At its peak, the PW4056 powered B747-400s were plying the KUL-LHR sector 18 times a week.

The new Business Class

The new A380 service is expected to bring Malaysia Airlines to greater heights as not only it is the lowest operating cost per seat for intercontinental flights, but also a whole new range of products being introduced such as fully flat Golden Club Class and suites for First Class. The wider and extra leg room for the economy class would bring about greater comfort.

The seating configuration for Malaysia Airlines’ A380 is 8 First Class, 66 Golden Club Class and 420 Economy. This pioneer aircraft would be joined by a second A380 in two weeks time. By mid August, daily MH002/001 flights would be on this type. It expected that A380 to serve Sydney/Melbourne routes, on top of the popular Far East destination such as Tokyo Narita.

Progressive premonition of Penang Port privatisation

The controversy of the recent announcement of Seaport Terminal (Johor) Sdn. Bhd. win of the bid to the take over and privatize Penang Port has grown into falsehood sentiments, without being objective.

Syed Mokhtar wins bid to privatise Penang Port

Posted on 13 June 2012 – 08:25pm
Last updated on 14 June 2012 – 08:48am

Hemananthani Sivanandam
newsdesk@thesundaily.com

KUALA LUMPUR (June 13, 2012): Seaport Terminal (Johor) Sdn Bhd owned by tycoon Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar al-Bukhary has won the bid to privatise the Penang Port.

The Transport Ministry, in a written reply said that the company had won the bid via its equity ownership in Penang Port Sdn Bhd.

“The negotiations with the company on the privatisation agreement however is still ongoing,” said the ministry in reply to Chong Eng (DAP-Bukit Mertajam).
Chong Eng had asked the ministry on the latest update of the port’s privatisation and which party had won the bid to do so.

The ministry further said that one of the conditions to be included in the privatisation agreement was that the successful company must bear the cost of dredging Penang Port.

It was reported that the RM351 million dredging scheme for the northern part of the Penang channel has yet to take off although the amount had been allocated under the 10th Malaysia Plan.

The project to deepen the channel from the current 11.5m to 14.5m is vital to bring large transshipments into the port.

It was reported that the cabinet had on Nov 25 last year had endorsed Syed Mokhtar to take over the Penang Port in a privatisation exercise.

The Finance Ministry had also on March 29 confirmed that Seaport Terminal, which is a holding company for the Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP) in Johor, had initiated due diligence process on Penang Port.

But Penang Port chairman Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi Yahaya has maintained that there has been no decision, adding that: “If it is privatised we would be the first to know.”

It was also reported that there were concerns if Syed Mokhtar would turn 225-year old Penang Port into a feeder port for his operations in Johor if his privatisation bid for the former was succesful.

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The Penang Port Commission Chairman Dato’ Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek saw the strategic advantage of Seaport Terminal’s ability to bring the Penang Port into better position and DAP’s opposition on the matter isn’t being objective but instead, ‘self sabotaging’.

Soi Lek: Penang self-sabotaging by rejecting port privatisation

By Shannon Teoh

June 16, 2012

Chua Soi Lek asserts the plan to privatise Penang Port is to improve the efficiency of the port. – file pic

KUALA LUMPUR, June 16 — Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek has told Penang not to “sabotage itself” by refusing to cooperate with the federal government’s plan to privatise Penang Port, a move he insists would increase its competitiveness.The Penang Port Commission (PPC) chief warned Lim Guan Eng’s administration that its decision to reject the privatisation of Penang Port Sdn Bhd (PPSB) and implied threat to derail the move “would just mean the whole port won’t work.”

“The privatisation is not to sabotage but to improve the efficiency of the port. They can fight the federal government or try to derail it but if they refuse to cooperate they will be sabotaging themselves,” the MCA president told The Malaysian Insider last night.

The Penang government resolved yesterday to reject the privatisation of Penang Port Sdn Bhd (PPSB) to logistics tycoon Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar al-Bukhary and demanded Putrajaya undertake a promised RM353 million dredging project crucial for the port’s expansion.

Lim, who is also DAP secretary general, also said yesterday that the state executive council had resolved to condemn Dr Chua for “selling out” the rights of Penang folk.

He said it was unlikely Syed Mokhtar’s Seaport Terminal Sdn Bhd would channel resources into PPSB as the latter would prefer to boost his main transshipment hub Tanjung Pelepas Port (PTP) in Johor while “condemning” Penang Port into a “feeder port.”

“There was no consultation with the state government. Of course, they can go ahead and carry out the port operations without consulting the state but do not forget — some of the pieces of land there are owned and belong to the state government,” the Penang chief minister had told a press conference in George Town.

But Dr Chua dismissed the implied threat, saying Penang did not own a large chunk of the land.

The former health minister also repeated his stand that while he did not know if dredging was a pre-requisite of the privatisation deal, it would not make good business sense to take on PPSB’s RM1.3 billion debt without making the necessary investment to build the business.

“But dredging is not the sole factor that will expand Penang Port into a transshipment hub. It will take some time.

“Penang thinks if you dredge deep enough, then everyone will come but it doesn’t work like that,” he said.

The former Labis MP pointed out that PPSB still had a long way to go, claiming it only made about RM180,000 in profit last year as compared to Seaport Terminal’s Johor Port which made RM185 million.

Putrajaya confirmed on Wednesday that Syed Mokhtar’s Seaport Terminal had won the bid to take Penang port private but said the firm must foot the bill of dredging work although it failed to specify if dredging would be compulsory under the concession.

Dr Chua had last weekend brushed aside the accusation that he is masterminding a plan that will see Penang Port being relegated to a feeder port, insisting that the decision was made by the prime minister.

The PPC chief was reported as saying that any decision is at the discretion of Datuk Seri Najib Razak and the matter has been discussed for years with the intention of increasing the efficiency of the port.

But Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat, who was transport minister from March 2008 to June 2010, had said last month the controversial decision to privatise Penang Port only materialised after Dr Chua was appointed chairman of its regulatory body in November 2010.

“Yes, because the government had no plans to privatise when I was transport minister,” Ong had told The Malaysian Insider when asked if plans to privatise the port, which has seen the federal government pour in RM1.1 billion in capital expenditure between 2004 and 2009, only came about after Dr Chua’s appointment.

Several DAP lawmakers from Penang had also accused Dr Chua last month of trying to stifle the economy of the island state controlled by their party by shelving plans to dredge the port’s channel.

Three MPs, including Penang DAP chief Chow Kon Yeow, said the Johor-born former minister was conspiring with Syed Mokhtar to benefit his home state of Johor at Penang’s expense and relegate Penang Port to a feeder for the logistics tycoon’s PTP.

But Dr Chua responded by saying the decision not to embark on the RM350 million dredging was made collectively by the National Economic Council (NEC) as the port is set to be privatised by the Finance Ministry (MoF) and the cost should be borne by the concessionaire instead.

He also told The Malaysian Insider it did not make sense for any bidder not to improve the port’s performance as “it is not doing as well as it should be and has accumulated a debt of around RM1.3 billion.”

But several shipping industry players expressed doubt over whether Syed Mokhtar will deepen its channel at his own cost when he also controls the rival PTP.

“Definitely it makes more sense to turn Penang Port into a feeder port instead of splitting up resources and competing with yourself as well as Port Klang,” said a former top port official.

The Penang DAP lawmakers have said that the dredging was needed to allow bigger ships measuring 8,000 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) to call on the island state along the Straits of Malacca, the world’s busiest waterway.

One of them, Liew Chin Tong, also rejected Dr Chua’s explanation, saying the former health minister was trying to project a “false image of Penang Port as a loss-making outfit when the debt is mostly due to the RM1.1 billion investment.”

The Bukit Bendera MP warned that Syed Mokhtar may “engage in asset stripping by bringing the seven units of Super Port Panamax cranes from Penang to PTP” and replace them with six smaller quay cranes from Johor Port, run by the tycoon’s Seaport Terminal.

The DAP strategist said that with the smaller cranes unable to handle ships measuring 4,000 TEUs and above, Syed Mokhtar would have no reason to carry out dredging work around the Penang channel.

The Penang DAP MPs have also called for the privatisation exercise to be aborted after Dr Chua’s rationale that the government should not spend on an asset it is planning to sell.

They said that following the same logic, the RM1.1 billion — or over three times the cost of dredging — spent over five years up to 2009 to double the port’s capacity to two million TEUs meant that Putrajaya should scrap the sale altogether.

The Malaysian Insider reported in December 2010 that the Cabinet had approved the MoF’s sale of PPSB to PTP despite competitive bids from other businessmen and also the Penang government, which owns the port land.

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng wrote to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak in early December 2010 to put in a bid to run the port, which has declined since the MoF took over in 1994.

The port lost its free-port status in 1974 but Najib’s Barisan Nasional (BN) is offering to reinstate its free-port status if the federal coalition regains Penang which it lost in Election 2008.

PPSB is a wholly-owned subsidiary of MoF Inc while the regulator, PPC, also reports to Putrajaya through the Transport Ministry.

It is learnt that cargo volumes at Penang Port have failed to match that of Port Klang and Tanjung Pelepas, growing only 5.8 per cent a year between 1995 and 2009, against Klang which grew 14.2 per cent annually.

PTP began in 1999 but now handles more than six million TEUs a year, five times more than Penang Port, which Lim said had grown to handle 1.3 million TEUs last year.

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Operationally, Penang Port is not economical. The margin Penang Port makes per freight weight tonnes (FWT) is below industry standards. In fact, there are rooms to maneuvre upwards for the tariff being charged in Penang Port. It is obvious that Penang Port needs new management and operational methods. There is a need to revitalize the port financially and operationally.

Penang Port is not a feeder port. In fact, Several international shipping lines such as Evergreen, Wan Hai, Yang Ming and OOCL which currently operate direct services to Penang Port.

The statistics are evidently clear that Penang Port has it potential to be a major port instead of what the Opposition claimed what it will be become, when Seaport Terminal takes over. 50% of vessel calls into Penang Port are direct calls. 60% of current volumes at Penang Port are direct shipment which was not feedered through other ports

The new owner cannot afford to allow Penang Port to be neglected and relegated to be a feeder port. One of the way to achieve this is to vigorously grow the business and volumes of the port. This objective will not be achieved by way of turning the port into feeder port

The claim that Penang Port will only be able to attract direct services after the channel is deepened is not true. As with current operations, it is already able to serve the vessels that called directly into the port from destinations abroad.

Financially, Penang Port is in bad shape with borrowing amounting more than RM1.2 billion. The CAPEX against FWT of Penang Port is 13 times the industry averages.

The fact is that, Seaport Terminal proven itself with PTP. It became a worthy opponent to the Singapore Port. PTP was developed from a greenfield, to challenge directly against one of the busiest and high popular entreport in the world. Today after thirteen years operations, the amount of TEUs handled by PTP is one third of Port of Singapore. That alone is a testimony why Seaport Terminal should be given the opportunity to turn around Penang Port.

Seaport Terminal could create subsidiaries for peripheral activities that could be created from the operation of Penang Port. This will be an added revenue. This is important as currently, Penang Port’s revenue per employee is low. Some of these people probably needed to be redistributed for other operations, especially those which can bring better productivity.

The privatization of Penang Port is not without financial commitment to Seaport Terminal and the Al Bukhary Group. The argument of Al Bukhary Group is over geared should be mitigated with the Group’s performance so far. Many of the acquisition made under the Group was on plc which are laden with debts. Examples are DRB Hicom Group, Pernas Hotels, BERNAS and MMC. Slowly, all these plcs were turned around and operationally making healthy profits and cash position which enable all these financial commitments be served productively.

So far, all the acquisitions made under Al Bukhary Group not only still remained within the group without any of them being hived off, but most of these plcs shown tremendous improvements and performance.

Having that argument, one might stop to think which corporation is willing to undertake Penang Port as is and develop it further to greater position, by committing into financial commitment twice; once for the privatization and the other one for the operation and financial revitalization, which include more CAPEX.

Predator attempting to kill NEP

The Chinese Chauvinist Democratic Action Party (DAP) has now actively involved in the effort to derail FELDA Global Ventures Holdings (FGVH) IPO scheduled for 28 June 2012. The latest is by Petaling Jaya MP Tony Pua. Pua charged that FGVH IPO is based on ‘inflated profits’ and now its being cannibalised.

‘Cannibalising’ Felda listing bad for settlers

Teoh El Sen

| June 18, 2012

The public listing of palm oil giant Felda Global Ventures Holding Sdn Bhd is canibalising its subsidiaries in order to artificially inflate its attractiveness, says Tony Pua.

KUALA LUMPUR: DAP lawmaker Tony Pua alleged that the public listing of Felda Global Ventures Holding Sdn Bhd (FGVH) is potentially detrimental to both settlers and employees.

He said this is because profits of FGVH are being “artificially” inflated by cannabilising on the profits of its subsidiaries.

The listing is scheduled to take place at the end of this month.

Pua revealed today that a concession contract signed on March 1 between FGVH and Felda Palm Industries Sdn Bhd (FPI) “forces” the latter to sell all of its crude palm oil to FGVH.

Previously, FPI would purchase raw palm oil from plantations and sell it directly to refineries, traders and other users.

“This means FPI can’t sell to outsiders anymore. This essentially creates a toll gate, an intermediary, or middle man. Instead of FPI selling direct to the end users, FPI has to sell to FGVH,” said the Petaling Jaya Utara MP and DAP national publicity chief.

“Why do they want to sell through a third party when they can sell direct?” he asked.

Pua said FPI is 64.7% owned by Koperasi Permodalan Felda (KPF). KPF, in turn, is 70% owned by Felda settlers and the rest by Felda employees.

“The travesty in this is that KPF does not own any shares in FGVH. [Therefore], the biggest loser will be KPF, and the Felda settlers 70% and Felda employees,” he said.

Putting in the assumption that FGVH would make a 5% margin in sales prices from the “one-sided deal”, Pua said that it would amount to a RM405 million lost to FPI.

He said that in 2010, FPI made RM9.5billion and RM204 million in revenue and profits respectively when it sold three million metric tonne of CPO for RM8.1 billion that year.

Hoodwinking the people

He said this deal, together with his previous allegation that the government was “fleecing” settlers RM8.8 billion through the leasing of KPF land, is simply how the government “hoodwinks” the people.

“The RM15,000 ‘durian runtuh’ [windfall] amounting to a total of RM1.69 billion does not even come close to the loss of income for KPF and the settlers for the next 99 years as a result of the above one-sided deals.

“We call upon the government not to shortchange KPF and Felda settlers. Don’t hoodwink the people by robbing them of future income,” he said.

“It is clear from these two exercise, moving the land away from KPF subsidiary, as well as signing an agreement where FPI is forced to sell its CPO to FGVH. The government is boosting the earnings of FGVH and the attractiveness of its shares to potential investors while at the same time sacrificed the interest of Felda settlers represented by KPF by robbing them of income which they’ve enjoyed all these years,” he said.

FGVH listing is reportedly Asian’s biggest IPO yet and the world’s second biggest after Facebook, and is expected to raise RM10.5 billion with a projected market capitalization of more than RM16 billion to pave way for Felda’s expansion with the plantation giant looking at becoming the world’s leading palm oil producer.

Observers believe the IPO would likely increase Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s winning chances in the 13th general election

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In so many angles, Pua is wrong and manipulative. The new business model being brought fourth with the consolidation and rationalization of all businesses under Kumpulan FELDA into FGVH is to streamline best practices, with industry standards. Naturally, FGVH being a plc is now under the scrutiny of various regulators such as SC, Bursa Malaysia and even MPOB.

Firstly, the new business model eliminating FPI’s risk in CPO trading margin since traded price is based on MPOB monthly average (current month) in tandem with FFB price. Therefore the profitability of FPI remains the same or even better as compared to the previous model.

The rational of FPI selling CPO to FGVH is straight forward. The new business model was purposely developed to protect FPI from suffering a negative margin in CPO trading during uncertainty market. This exercise will also enable FGVH to support midstream and downstream business in the group.

Pua’s charge of FPI loss RM405 million assuming 5% margin in trading (in a one-side deal) is rather manipulative. FPI sells CPO to FGVH based on MPOB monthly average price. There is no guaranteed margin in CPO trading. In fact, by selling CPO to FGVH at MPOB price, the trading risk is eliminated since FFB price was determined by daily MPOB price.

For Pua to manipulate KPF’s ownership in FPI without being a shareholder of FGVH is purely designed to agitate the majority of non FELDA settlers in the 220,000 membership of KPF. KPF is 100% owned by settlers and employees. KPF will not be a loser because the profitability of FPI remains the same or even better as compared to the previous model. In addition, through this model, KPF stakeholders are protected from negative margin in CPO trading.

The issue about the 350,000ha of KPF land being leased to FGVH is not true. The land that was leased belongs to FELDA Authority, not KPF.

20% of FGVH shares would be in the hands of an SPV, expected to be a newly created FELDA Asset Holdings Corporation Bhd. The purpose of the SPV is to realize all the profits and filed derived from FGVH dividends declared and it will channel these income for the purpose of 112,635 FELDA settlers. Since the economic benefits of 20% of FELDA shares will flow down to settlers via the settler trust fund, anything that is good for FGV is good for settlers.

It is obvious that DAP through Tony Pua is attempting to create a deep dissatisfaction amongst the 1.2 million warga FELDA in their strategy against the New Economic Policy (NEP), designed to alleviate the economic position of rural Malaysians especially the Malays and narrowing the gap with the Non Malays. It is an extension of Opposition’s ‘Politics of Hatred’.

Nurul’s defective radar, again

Lembah Pantai MP AND PKR Vice President Nurul Izzah Anwar’s defective radar systems and poor information gathering about to land her in the same spot she continuously gets herself over and over again into; her foot in her poisonous big mouth. Together, rogue news portal Malaysiakini which perpetuated Nurul’s lies.

Her charge that Advanced Air Traffic System Sdn. Bhd. (AAT) is the joint venture company between Selex Sistemi Integrati SpA (SELEX) and Tirai Variasi Sdn. Bhd. is defective. She also claimed that AAT secured a RM 128 million or Euro 26 million contract for SELEX via direct negotiations, which  is not true either. SELEX did get the RM128.4 million contract was awarded by the Federal Government to SELEX in 2009 and not to AAT as reported.

SELEX was the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) for the original system that was installed in 1994. This project is an upgraded project and therefore needed to use the same system and the same OEM. The RM128.4 million contract was not solely to install Air Traffic Control system in Subang.  The contract is for upgrading works for radar and system covering many airports in Semenanjung Malaysia and airports in Sabah and Sarawak. AAT was one of many Malaysian vendors supporting this project.

In a statement of clarification, AAT was never involved in the contract negotiation between SELEX and Federal Government. AAT’s role is to provide installation works and technical assistance for the project. The value of AAT’s contract is approximately RM9 million over 3 years period from 2009 to 2012, which effectively is RM 3 million per annum.

In the Malaysiakini report, it stated that AAT was formed in 1994 “With the aim of know-how and technology transfer to Malaysia, especially in the air traffic control systems field”. The report is actually an addendum of the manipulation of facts by Nurul and her cohort of consistently lying PKR colleagues, is designed to rubbish former Ambassador to the United States of America Dato’ Seri Dr Jamaluddin Jarjis via his son Ikhwan Hafiz Jamaluddin.

Fact is that Ikhwan Hafiz, 25, sits in the board of AAT. However in 2009 when Federal Government awarded the RM 128 million to SELEX, it is most likely that Ikhwan Nasir was still slogging buried into his books and laboratory experiment reports as a student in highly regarded world renown London Imperial College of Science and Technology. He could not have been a party to ‘any direct negotiations’ between SELEX and the Federal Government, with or without AAT’s involvement because he had not come onboard the latter yet.

Penang Chief Minister looking through the periscope of KD Tun Razak in a dive 50 nautical miles west of Langkawi 9 Dec 2011

This is typical of politically bankrupt cohort of PKR lying politicians, where Nurul has her fair share in committing a blatant lie against the Malaysian Armed Forces based on a reply in Parliament which has been taken totally out of context and manipulated. The Lembah Pantai MP’s statement to Jakarta-based Kompass on 5 August 2010 claimed that the Perdana Menteri Class Scorpene submarines are defective and unable to dive. It was proven wrong not only with several diving missions carrying His Majesty Seri Paduka Baginda Yang DiPertuan Agong and HRH Sultan of Selangor, but also DAP Secretary General and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng on his dive onboard KD Tun Razak 50 nautical miles west of Langkawi on 9 December 2011.

It is clear that PKR Vice President Nurul and the cohort of political liars needed to have ‘dramas’, to make them politically relevant and trying to deflect the attention from the reality that truly they are politically-bankrupt elected representatives who failed to serve their consitutuencies.

Majulah, Singapura

Penyertaan wakil wakil rasmi negara asing dalam mana mana aktiviti yang menyalahi undang undang wajar dikira sebagai tidak menghormati malah kurang ajar. Terutamanya bagi negara yang berjiran, mempunyai hubungan simbiotik dan sepatutnya berusaha lebih keras kearah mengeratkan hubungan bi-latteral demi kepentingan bersama yang amat berharga itu.

Menteri Luar Negara Dato’ Seri Anifah Aman mengesahkan menerima laporan bahawa terdapat diplomat yang bertugas dalam Kedutaan Asing di Kuala Lumpur telah terlibat dalam  perhimpunan-haram-bertukar-rusuhan BERSIH 3.0 pada 28 April 2012.

Published: Monday June 11, 2012 MYT 4:53:00 PM

Participation in Bersih not good move, Anifah tells foreign diplomats

By MERGAWATI ZULFAKAR

KUALA LUMPUR: The involvement of foreign diplomats based here in the Bersih 3.0 in April has incurred the displeasure of Wisma Putra.

Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman said he had received reports of the involvement and participation of several diplomats at the rally on April 28.

“Whether such involvement or participation is truly for information gathering or otherwise, it is definitely not a good move,” Anifah said during a luncheon with Asean ambassadors here.

Anifah did not mention the countries involved.

He reminded the diplomats to be always mindful of the sensitivities of governments in this region in order to maintain good relations.

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Laporan beberapa blog mengenai iiga diplomat Suruhanjaya Tinggi Singapura yang telah dikenal pasti terlibat secara aktif dalam perhimpunan-haram-bertukar-rusuhan BERSIH 3.0 kini menjadi bahan yang hangat dibincangkan, termasuk ruangan mingguan pengarang Utusan Malaysia.

Pendedahan ini, jika benar, cukup memeranjatkan!

Oleh Zaini Hassan

BENARKAH ada sebuah negara atau beberapa negara yang mahu mengucar-kacirkan pilihan raya Malaysia kali ini?

Benarkah mereka mahu mengubah dan menumbangkan secara sistematik kerajaan yang ada ini, kerajaan tonggak Melayu yang telah memerintah selama 54 tahun?

Benarkah mereka terlalu cemburu dengan kemajuan Malaysia ini yang mungkin akan menyaingi mereka dalam beberapa segi?

Benarkah selagi kerajaan Malaysia di bawah pemerintahan sekarang masih wujud, selagi itulah mereka akan merasa tidak selamat dan selesa?

Saya cukup terkejut membaca pendedahan melalui fail wikileaks oleh sebuah blog mymassa dan AIDCNews yang mendedahkan mengenai cubaan satu kuasa asing di rantau ini yang cuba sedaya upaya untuk mempengaruhi rakyat negara ini menentang kerajaan semasa, atau menyokong pihak pembangkang atau cuba membantu apa yang boleh untuk menumbangkan kerajaan yang ada ini.

Saya berharap pendedahan itu tidak akan disembunyikan oleh pihak berkuasa, tetapi didedahkan dan dibongkarkan kepada pengetahuan umum. Malaysia sering kali mahu menjaga hati orang lain, jiran-jiran tetangga, kononnya atas semangat serantau ASEAN, tetapi negara lain sering kali tidak mengendahkannya. Malaysia pada dasarnya cukup baik dengan jiran-jiran.

Namun dengan pendedahan blog itu, jika benar, maka ia adalah sesuatu yang cukup mengejutkan. Jikalau ia benar, Kerajaan Malaysia tidak boleh membiarkan ia berterusan. Saya hairan mengapa kerajaan yang dimaksudkan tidak respons pun kepada pendedahan oleh mymassa itu yang kini telah menjadi bacaan umum.

Menurut pendedahan itu bertajuk: BREAKING NEWS: 3 NAMA DIPLOMAT S******** DIDEDAHKAN. Ia boleh baca di sini: http://mymassa.blogspot.com. Ia turut mendedahkan nama-nama diplomat negara itu.

Selain itu, blog itu turut mendedahkan satu lagi perbuatan oleh negara jiran berkenaan yang dikatakan cuba mengucar-kacirkan pilihan raya negara ini dengan kononnya, melatih rakyat negaranya terlibat dalam proses pilihan raya negara ini. Saya kurang pasti bagaimana caranya ia akan dilakukan, tetapi satu lagi pendedahan dari fail wikileaks itu juga cukup memeranjatkan.

Gambar-gambar turut didedahkan menunjukkan belia-belia negara itu dilatih mengenai proses pilihan raya negara ini. Pendedahan itu bertajuk: Wikileaks : Gambar Persediaan S******** Mengkucar-kacirkan Pilihan Raya Malaysia. Ia boleh dibaca di sini: http://mymassa.blogspot.com juga.

Maaf, saya tidak tahu benar atau tidak maklumat ini. Biarlah pihak berkuasa menyiasatnya dan kita juga mahu mendengar penjelasan daripada kerajaan negara itu.

Berikut ialah antara petikan daripada blog itu:

Akhirnya AIDCNews mendedahkan tiga nama diplomat asing yang menceroboh hal ehwal negara kita. (Cuit tidak akan mendedahkan nama-nama itu. Baca sendiri dalam blog itu).

Kita meminta supaya pihak kerajaan memandang serius perkara ini dan memanggil duta negara tersebut dan menghantar nota bantahan.

Sebagai tiang penting dalam parti, Pergerakan Pemuda UMNO diharap turut menghantar surat bantahan dan membuat bantahan di hadapan Kedutaan S********. Campur tangan secara terang-terangan yang dilakukan oleh para diplomat mereka tidak boleh diterima. Para NGO seperti Perkasa, Pekida dan sebagainya perlu maju ke hadapan!

Dahulu kita ada Singa UMNO Allahyarham Syed Albar yang amat menakutkan Lee Kuan Yew itu, dan juga Allahyarham Datuk Harun Idris yang merimaskan DAP. Kini, walaupun Ketua Pergerakan Pemuda UMNO YB Datuk Khairy Jamaludin menggunakan pendekatan steady, smart dan bijaksana, namun bantahan perlu juga dibuat di Kedutaan S********.

Jika tiada sesiapa membuat bantahan, S******** akan kata macam-macam. S******** akan kata Polis Malaysia lembik, Undang-Undang Malaysia senang dilanggar, Lihatlah Slide Sukarelawan *** di atas sedang mengkursus sukarelawan *** untuk membantu DAP dalam PRU13 nanti! Ini gambar-gambar penting http://mymassa.blogspot.com.

Isu keselamatan negara perlu tiada kompromi. Jika diplomat-diplomat itu melakukan perkara yang sama di Indonesia atau Thailand agaknya apakah nasib mereka itu?

Saya berhenti di sini dulu.

Jika benarlah pendedahan itu, saudara-saudara fikir-fikirlah sendiri mengapa mereka ini terlalu mengidamkan Malaysia yang indah, makmur dan sejahtera ini.

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Sekiranya laporan laporan ini benar, maka ianya amat mengecewakan. Ini kerana Singapura sebagai jiran paling rapat dari segi geografi dan mempunyai hubungan simbiotik samada  secara ekonomi, kebudayaan, fahaman dan penganutan ugama dan ramai rakyat dikedua dua sempadan mempunyai hubungan kekeluargaan dan persahabatan yang amat rapat.

Kedudukan istimewa ini memungkinkan Singapura dilibatkan secara aktif dalam perancangan Iskandar Malaysia semenjak dilancarkan pada November 2006. Perdana Menteri ketika itu Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi telah mempelawa penglibatan Singapura semasa Perdana Menteri Singapura Brig Gen (NS) Lee Hsien Loong dalam lawatan ke Langkawi pada 14 Mei 2007, untuk terlibat dalam beberapa jawatankuasa khas Iskandar Malaysia seperti hal ehwal immigresen, alam skitar, pengangkutan dan pelancongan.

Penglibatan tiga diplomat kanan Suruhanjaya Tinggi Singapura dalam BERSIH 3.0, satu perhimpunan haram yang telah mendapat injuksi Mahkamah, menunjukan negara jiran ini tidak menghormati kedaulatan Malaysia, Perlembagaan, sistem perundangan dan keputusan kehakiman. Ini jelas membayangkan sikap Singapura yang diperintah dan kuasai Chauvinis Cina yang tidak menghormati kuasa dan penguasa yang ada pada tangan Melayu.

Ini bukan perkara baru. Semasa menyertai Persekutuan Malaysia pada 16 September 1963, Perdana Menteri Singapura ketika itu Lee Juan Yew bersetuju untuk ‘Tidak melibatkan dalam politik Persekutuan Malaysia’ dan menghadkan aktiviti politik PAP hanya dalam pulau itu sahaja. Namun, sikap Chauvinis Cina dan kedudukan sebagai ‘minoriti yang ingin menguasai majoriti’ itu menyaksikan PAP membariskan 11 calon dalam PRU 2 pada 1964.

Sikap ‘Tidak Toleran’ PAP ini akhir mengabkibatkan Perdana Menteri Malaysia Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra menyingkirkan Singapura dan Persekutuan Malaysia pada 9 Ogos 1965. Namun, setelah penyingkiran itu PAP masih terus berusaha untuk menguasai politik Malaysia dan Devan Nair menubuhkan Parti Tindakan Demokratik (DAP) pada Oktober 1965 untuk meneruskan wadah perjuangan Chauvinis Cina ditengah tengah senario politik bumi Melayu Nusantara.

Untuk rekod, Devan Nair merupakan personaliti utama PAP Singapura. Beliau kemudian dilantik sebagai Presiden Republik itu 1981-1985.

DAP merupakan salah satu dalang utama rusuhan kaum 13 Mei 1969, apabila golongan Chauvinis Cina ini berarak seluruh Kuala Lumpur menghina orang orang Melayu setelah Parti Perikatan hilang separuh kerusi di Selangor dan diambang kehilangan penguasaan keatas Kerajaan Negeri.

BERSIH 3.0 merupakan agenda Pembangkang yang didalangi anasir anasir subsersif dalam tindakan untuk menimbulkan kekacauan dan ianya sebagai titik permulaan siri demonstrasi-bertukar-rusuhan-jalan ala ‘Arab Spring’ yang akan dinamakan ‘Malaysian Spring’. DAP merupakan antara penggerak utama  ‘Malaysian Spring’.

Kehadiran tiga pegawai kanan Suruhanjaya Tinggi Singapura ini merupakan bayangan bahawa Singapura memberikan ‘sokongan moral’, jika tidak sokongan dalam pelbagai bentuk bagi merealisasikan tujuan ‘agenda minoriti menguasai majoriti’, walaupun dengan cara yang desktruktif seperti ‘demonstrasi-bertukar-rusuhan-jalanan’. Ini merupakan peningkatan keatas kerjasama dan sokongan PAP keatas DAP yang sedia terjalin selama ini.

Sebelum ini Setiausaha Agung DAP yang juga Ketua Menteri Pulau Pinang pernah memburukan Johor semasa dalam sessi bersama wartawan asing di Singapura. Sikap ini menujukan jelas DAP amat selesa di republik itu, termasuk memburukan Malaysia secara terang terangan.

Ini merupakan campur tangan sebuah kerajaan asing bukan sahaja dalam politik tanah air, malah dengan usaha yang menyalahi undang undang. Ini merupakan satu tahap sebelum sesebuah negara membuat bantahan diplomatik keatas politik dalaman sesebuah negara lain. Ini merupakan apa yang sering berlaku dimana negara Barat seperti Amerika Syarikat, United Kingdom, Australia dan sekutu mereka menggunakan pengaruh mereka dalam pentas politik antarabangsa untuk melaksana agenda tertentu, seperti yang berlaku di Myanmar.

Wisma Putra, Polis DiRaja Malaysia dan Kementerian Dalam Negeri wajar menyiasat laporan ini secara serious. Dan jika benar, maka Wisma Putra wajar mengambil tindakan diplomatik kepada Singapura. Malaysia wajar menegakan kedaulatan dan maruah negara, tanpa sebarang pengecualian.

Can The Malaysian Insider do this?

Screenshot of The Malaysian Insider, as of 1400hrs 20 June 2012

The Malaysian Insider has been known as a pseudo-agent of anarchy and a tool for agenda of the minority to go against the majority. However, the extend of what they are willing go keeps crossing boundaries, previously thought they would just stop at fabricating information or perpetuating lies for the purpose of demonizing certain personalities.

The rogue newsportal put up an advertisement or promotion about Christianity, “Amazing Facts About Jesus”. When clicked on it, it goes to this. However, there is no disclaimer ‘For Non Muslims Only’. Shouldn’t this be regarded as professing Christianity aka prosetylizing to majority Malay-Muslim?

A closer look at the same page

Article 11 in the Federation of Malaysia Constitution clearly stated that prosetylization is prohibited.

MCMC and Police should seriously investigate this.

‘Bumiputra Agenda’ steadfast post FGVH IPO

Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Mohd. Najib Tun Razak at the launch of FGVH prospectus, recently

The gong would be hammered to signal the trading for FELDA Global Ventures Holdings Bhd shares at Bursa Malaysia on 28 June. Its the dawn of a new beginning for many reason. It is the largest agriculture-based IPO in the country. It is an IPO which will bring the larger 1.2 million odd warga FELDA to a different level and strategic enough, to ensure that they would be part in better economic position in the next 50 years.

For one, FELDA settlers who have an indefinite benefit from the 37% originally was planned to be allocated for Koperasi Permodalan FELDA (KPF). As they have decided for ‘Plan B’ when KPF decision was delayed, amongst others, because of minority sabotage, then the 37% would now be held by FELDA (Authority). 17% would be held by FELDA (Authority) where else the 20% would be injected into a special purpose vehicle (SPV), designed for long term FELDA settlers’ economic benefit.

Published: Friday June 15, 2012 MYT 8:04:00 PM

Felda settlers to gain lifelong benefits

PORT DICKSON: Felda settlers will gain lifelong benefits from the listing of Felda Global Ventures Holdings Bhd (FGVHB) on Bursa Malaysia on June 28, said Felda chairman Tan Sri Mohd Isa Abdul Samad. He said the settlers would also own 20 percent of FGVHB equity on top of the RM15,000 windfall and 800 units of shares. “If you still remember we keep 37 percent in Koperasi Pengguna Felda (KPF). As KPF cannot have any equity, so we keep 20 per cent in a trust fund and the remaining 17 percent held by Felda. “So 20 percent of the equity will be owned by settlers as long as FGVHB is an ongoing concern without having to invest any capital,” he told reporters after attending the Port Dickson Teachers’ Day celebration here Friday. He said as the settlers would earn dividend from their shares, the bigger the profit, the bigger would be their earning. Isa said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak would deliver the second phase of bonus payment of RM5,000 to settlers on the Settlers’ Day in Kuala Lumpur on July 7 to coincide with the opening of Menara Felda. – Bernama

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Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Mohd. Najib Tun Razak announced in his 2012 Budget speech on 7 Oct 2011, that for recognition of lifelong service and ‘perjuangan‘ as FELDA settlers, as part of the benefit of FGVH be listed in Bursa Malaysia is the ‘Durian Runtuh’, to be distributed to al 112,635 FELDA settlers. This is achieved because the FGVH listing exercise unlocked the value of consolidated assets for all business entities under the Kumpulan FELDA.

On top of the RM 15,000.00 for each FELDA settlers family ‘Durian Runtuh’ announced by Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Mohd. Najib Tun Razak, part of the direct benefits to the 112,635 settlers are the shares that would be allocated to each of them. It is part of the 2.5% of the consolidated paid up of 3.64 billion shares and is known as the ‘Blue Form’, scheme allocated for FELDA settlers. However, a minority amongst the FELDA settlers and Opposition from outside are making a big fuss out of this. In actual fact, the allocation is actually well received.

Published: Sunday June 17, 2012 MYT 6:55:00 PM

Isa Samad: Most Felda settlers accept offer of 800 units of FGVH shares

BENTONG: The majority of Felda settlers have agreed to accept the offer of 800 units of Felda Global Ventures Holdings (FGVH) shares, Felda chairman Tan Sri Mohd Isa Samad said. He said only a few from a total of 112,635 settlers nationwide had rejected the offer. “The listing of FGVH on the Main Board of Bursa Malaysia is scheduled for June 28. “So far, we have received positive feedback from Felda settlers even though some of them were dissatisfied with the amount of shares offered to them.”The offer of 800 units of shares is apt as they also have another 20 per cent shares in the form of trust fund and annual dividend for life.”So, let’s not fall for the lies spread by certain quarters who are trying to sabotage the listing of FGVH,” he told reporters .Mohd Isa said the settlers were lucky because they were offered the shares even when their land were not involved in the listing. He criticised a handful of Felda settlers who were still supporting the opposition even though the federal government had given them a very special position in the society.”Felda settlers are the most privileged and fortunate to be able to have properties, including land, houses and shares,” he added. – Bernama

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Isa is not wrong in that deduction. FELDA settlers’ holding in FGVH comes in the bigger picture.

The thing is that, the 112,635 FELDA settlers’ interests would be looked after in the 20%of the FGVH paid up would be injected to the purposely created into the SPV, which at this point of time is believed to be FELDA Asset Holding Corporation (FAHC). If annual profit after tax and minority interests (PATAMI) is at RM 1.2 billion and FGVH’s dividend policy is 50%, then the SPV would earn a net of RM 120 million annually.

That is a repetitive income of RM 1,065.00 per FELDA settler annually, which would be spend for their economic benefits and community. As the revenue expand and PATAMI increase, this fund would also be increased.

This is by far a substantive addendum on the strategic ‘Bumiputra Agenda’, expanded from the ‘unlocking of values’ as a spin off from FGVH listing. Previously, when Amanah Saham Nasional (ASN) scheme first launched in 1981, Federal Government set aside RM 500 million for Permodalan Nasional Bhd (PNB). Today, the value of the ASNB scheme as it has been expanded is valued at RM 71 billion, after thirty one solid years.

Perdana Menteri Dato’ Seri Mohd. Najib Tun Razak announcing ‘Durian Runtuh’ to 112,635 settlers at FELDA, Jengka 8, 8 May 2012 infront of 40,000 warga FELDA

It is expected, the post listing market capitalisation of FGVH would be RM 16.8 billion. If 20% of that would be allocated to the SPV created for the economic interest of the 112, 635 FELDA settlers, that is a market value of  RM 3.36 billion. That is effectively RM 30,000.00 market value of FGVH held under trust by the SPV, to cover the interest of each FELDA settler.

Undoubtably, the ‘Bumiputra Agenda’ in FGVH is well covered. The IPO allowed 37% being allocated to FELDA settlers via FELDA Authority. FELDA settlers would be allocated 2.5% in the ‘Blue Form’ scheme where else FELDA Authority and FGVH employees and workforce will be allocated 3.0% under the ‘Pink Form’ scheme. On top of that, it is strongly believed that PNB will be allocated 7.5%, various Bumiputra investors and entities (through MITI) 9.5% and several institutions such as Tabung Haji would be allocated 5.0%.

That is effectively 64.5% holding in the name of ‘Bumiputra Agenda’.

If the market capitalisation is valued at RM 16.8 billion, that is almost RM 11 billion in prime blue-chips shares held directly or in trust by various Bumiputra entities. Investment bankers are bullish about FGVH listing and ability to maintain market capitalisation, deemed to be the second largest IPO in the world for 2012 after Facebook.

As some of current FGVH projects and programs mature, the benefits would soon be realised. Some analysts project that FGVH could realise a consolidated revenue of RM 30 billion. If PATAMI is calculated at 12%, it means that distributable dividends stand at the neighborhood of RM 1.8 billion per annum. That should translate a net income of RM 1.1 billion, for the Bumiputra shareholders/stakeholders of FGVH.

Funds from FGVH consolidated profits being ‘unlocked’, for the purpose of ‘Durian Runtuh’

The State Governments where FELDA Plantations Bhd have estates would get an aggregate of 12%. It is also believed that strategic pension funds EPF and KWAP would allocated 3.1% each, respectively. These Government agencies’ holdings, coupled with the Bumiputra holdings add up to 80.7%.

Unconfirmed information stated that foreign holdings of FGVH is at the neighbourhood of only 15%, which include strategic investors and some of newly formed strategic partners and alliance of FGVH. Part of FGVH’s business plan is to have value added downstream products in several developed and matures markets.

Detractors of FGVH IPO with the malice intention to instigate FELDA settlers and the Malays at large,  should no longer have any more point to rant after this. The holdings of FGVH are very transparent and it has its objectives. In time, like ASNB scheme, benefits from having FGVH group of companies listed and space to grow would trickle down to the pockets of the various stakeholders.

Reaction of some of the warga FELDA at FELDA Jengka 8 when PM Najib announced ‘Durian Runtuh’ on 8 May 2012

Other positive effect of the FGVH listing which was announced by Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Mohd. Najib Tun Razak during the ‘Meet the FELDA Community’ session in FELDA Jengka 8 on 8 May 2012 is that FELDA would from now help to rebuild and upgrade traditional kampungs around FELDA schemes, as part of the CSR program. Funds would be allocated under Yayasan FELDA for this and non-FELDA rural folks in traditional kampungs would now benefit from monies derived from FGVH business activities.

This program is an addendum to the ‘Bumiputra Agenda’, as part of Prime Minister Najib’s Transformation Program to bring Malaysians to a higher income and economic level, on top of realizing the New Economic Policy (NEP) his late father engineered forty years ago.

It is a very sound and smooth single stroke. to move the nation forward and narrowing the economic gap for the majority, especially the rural Malays.

*Updated 1130hrs

So much for the CCF hopefuls

As expected, Tony Fernandes would do something erratic when things don’t go his way. His failure to gain control of Malaysia Airlines via the recently reversed ‘Share Swap’ which was inked 9 August last year, saw AirAsia being migrated to Jakarta.

Friday June 15, 2012

Tony Fernandes speaks to StarBiz on AirAsia’s future plans

By B.K. SIDHU
bksidhu@thestar.com.my

It will not be sending aircraft to MAS for maintenance

PETALING JAYA: Adieu Kuala Lumpur, welcome Jakarta!

The big move has begun and Jakarta will be home for AirAsia Bhd after being based in Kuala Lumpur for a decade.

It is growth beyond Malaysian shores which is tempting AirAsia.

“Growth in Malaysia will be boring at a single digit of 3%, 4% to 5% but countries like Vietnam, the Philippines and Indonesia are where there is plenty of opportunities over the next 10 to 15 years and that should keep AirAsia busy,” a Maybank Investment analyst said.

It is for these reasons – though AirAsia’s diplomatic answer for wanting to relocate is to be near the Asean permanent secretariat – that it is shifting to Jakarta.

Fernandes: ‘All this has given me a new lease of life and I cannot tell you how excited I am of AirAsia’s future and the future is really good for us.’ – By AZMAN GHANI/ The Star

“When we started, we did not have a vision but somehow we became very big and now we have to look at how to manage,” AirAsia groupchief executive officer Tan Sri Tony Fernandes said in an interview recently.

What really pushed him to make the bold decision to relocate was the unwinding of the share swap with Malaysia Airlines (MAS), he said.

The share swap between both airlines ended in May due to objections from MAS unions.

It was only when he was director of MAS did he realise what “fantastic operations” he and his long-time business partner Datuk Kamarudin Meranun had built of AirAsia over the past decade.

“It was the unswap that woke me on the potential of the AirAsia. You don’t appreciate it until you see it (from the other side) and if I had put in the same energies for MAS into regional development, (just imagine the possibilities). All this has given me a new lease of life and I cannot tell you how excited I am of AirAsia’s future and the future is really good for us,” he said.

Although he was sad over the unwinding, he said: “I am glad it is over.”

Fernandes and Kamarudin started AirAsia a decade ago with two aircraft but grew to have operations in Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines and Japan. It also has a medium-haul sister airline in AirAsia X.

It is eyeing five more joint ventures in markets like China, South Korea, Vietnam and India.

Fernandes alluded that he would also like to set up AirAsia Africa.

The airline may have grown by leaps and bounds into a regional low cost carrier and competition is a given for AirAsia but its biggest challenge is really about staying focused and in implementation.

Therefore, the move to Jakarta would mean there is a core team that looks at every aspect of the business. Some see this as creating better coordination and cohesiveness to enable AirAsia to focus and tap opportunities in the region.

Fernandes will also move to Jakarta, although he keeps saying “this (Malaysia) is my home.”

Below are the excepts of the interview with Fernandes:

Can you ever give up as CEO of the Malaysian operations?

Of course I will not let go, but the day-to-day jobs, like carrying bags, being in every meeting, there can be a Malaysian CEO to do all that. But I would still be heavily involved in the day-to-day running of the airline.

Can someone do what you do because you are synonymous with AirAsia?

It cannot be same, but I am not leaving, I am still around. All this is a good change and hopefully we can build new relationships with the appointment of the Malaysian CEO. Also, by appointing a CEO for Malaysia I want to show that AirAsia is not about one person, not about me and Kamarudin.

In reality you are the person (behind the airline).

But I am not going to live forever. It is all about succession planning apart from growth. However, I am not leaving anytime soon.

Is securing landing rights still an issue?

That has changed dramatically over the past few years as countries are seeing the benefits of economic development.

Has Indonesia imposed conditions that AirAsia must be based there to tap the market, and are you getting landing rights?

No. But we get plenty of landing rights. We don’t have any issues and Indonesia is perhaps the most open aviation market, it has so many domestic airlines. Airlines are the ones giving us a hard time in every market. The hardest time I have is in my own home country, and I am not running away from my country. Remember, we are listed here and AirAsia is a home brand.

Malaysian operations are a major contributor to AirAsia’s earnings but growth will mature experts say, where is the next growth area?

Hard to say but the (market) share will grow in markets like Indonesia and Japan. Malaysia’s returns is still most profitable. Cost wise, ours is still the same as Indonesia and China but our cost advantage in Malaysia is eroding as airport charges go up whereas in other countries they are building low cost terminals for us.

Outlook of your financial results?

They will be good for the second quarter and there will be a bonus in the third quarter because of lower fuel prices.

Are MAS problems too big to be fixed?

Nope, They could have been fixed. Everything was laid out for MAS. The people I feel sorry for, are the staff, even though some thought the share swap was a bad thing. In reality, you had to really look at the staff of AirAsia, how they have grown in terms of salaries and careers and that was the plan for MAS too.

Yes, there will be short-term pain but you have to make the business successful as you cannot be on life-support, or be on sukuks or WAUs forever. There has to be an end at some stage. So the idea we were putting would have transformed the airline at some point.

The thinking is that the management should have engaged more with the employees instead of bull-dozing changes through?

I was not there, so I can’t say. You know me and you know my style – I am the best engager, and I even know the guys that carry my bags.

I disagree with the statement, for whatever was put in front of the union, they did not want change. There even argued over over the stopping of flights to Buenos Aires. With that level of thinking, how can you implement changes? But we have a different culture at AirAsia, and there is no resistance to change.

Your biggest gain and biggest regret over the collaboration?

The biggest gain is, we are now friends with Khazanah Nasional Bhd and I can pick up the phone and call AJ (Ahmad Jauhari Yahya, MAS group CEO). I have made some good friends in MAS, I certainly could not do that before. Biggest gain is that the people who had very negative views of me, had begun to see that I am not the devil re-incarnated.

I had the opportunity to at least meet my detractors face to face and give them a better opportunity to know me. My biggest regret is that we did not finish what we set out to do. Me and Din could have done a lot for MAS and helped MAS. But I am not someone to cry over the past, we move on.

Are you sending your aircraft for maintenance to MAS?

No, we have not done that. I don’t think it will happen. I think it will be a headache for the management. If you read some of the comments it is like, we are benefiting, so we are not sending.

Are you recruiting some of MAS crew, those they are letting go?

We are taking 50 of the MAS Indian crew. Since we have grown, and if they are prepared to be mobile, we are prepared to take. But there are plenty of opportunities for crew out there.

Is there any progress in the area of training with MAS?

Training makes complete sense but there is massive resistance from the pilot management, so we move on. Why waste time talking, we do not need it. But Malaysia has lost out, because to have a training school in Sepang with Boeing and Airbus, we could have been number one in the Asia.

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When Khazanah Holdings Bhd which is the shareholders of both airlines announced the reversal of ‘Share Swap’ six weeks ago, the Collaborative Co-operation Framework (CCF) between Malaysia Airlines and Air Asia would remain. The rational is for the national agenda, where the two airlines continue to work together and build the competency of the national civil aviation and commercial air carrier preparation ahead of ASEAN’s Open Sky policy by 2015.

AirAsia’s mishap in KCH. Everytime this happens, they need Malaysia Airlines engineering to help them sort things out

The two airlines are supposed to work together on maintenance repair and overhaul (MRO), ground operations and training, on top of joint acquisition programs from aircraft companies or spares suppliers, for the economies of scale.

There you have it. Fernandes wasn’t interested at all on the national agenda all along. He was interested only for his own agenda.

This announcement is nothing new. Last July, Fernandes did threaten to move AirAsia to Jakarta. However, it was believed that he was ‘pacified’ not to carry out that plan. Conveniently, a few weeks later the ‘Share Swap’ deal came about where Fernandes and his partner Kamaruddin Meranun gained control into the Malaysia Airlines BOD and management, even though they were only 20% shareholders.

The Jakarta Globe reported this July last year:

AirAsia to Move Base to Jakarta

A. Lin Neumann | July 22, 2011

Tokyo. AirAsia has chosen Jakarta to be its regional headquarters in an effort to be seen as a Southeast Asian airline rather than just a Malaysian one.

The region’s largest low-cost airline plans to open its base in the capital at South Jakarta’s Equity Building in October, group chief executive Tony Fernandes told the Jakarta Globe on Thursday.

It plans to take advantage of easy access to the Asean secretariat in advance of the “open skies” agreement that will go into effect in 2015.

That agreement will lower barriers for air travel between the region’s capitals.

Asked why he chose to move the fast-growing airline’s principal corporate base to Jakarta from Kuala Lumpur, Fernandes said: “Asean is based in Jakarta, and Indonesia will be the largest economy in Asean in times to come … And I like it there.”

Fernandes, who is Malaysian, said he had already bought a home in Jakarta within walking distance of the new office. “I don’t like the Jakarta traffic,” he said.

The Equity Building is in the Sudirman Central Business District, near the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX). According to aviation experts, AirAsia’s relocation to Jakarta highlights the country’s growing importance in the region’s aviation sector.

“This will be great for our aviation industry,” said Dudi Sudibyo, an aviation industry analyst in Jakarta. “This will push us to be better.”

To match AirAsia’s ambitious strategy, the Indonesian government will have to continue to improve infrastructure to accommodate more passengers flying into and around the country, said Bambang Ervan, a Transportation Ministry spokesman.

“This is very positive, we welcome AirAsia’s plan,” he said. “It shows that AirAsia, one of the world leaders in the aviation industry, has confidence in Indonesia’s strong growth.”

The Indonesia National Air Carriers Association (Inaca) forecasts passenger growth at 10 percent to 15 percent this year.

Central Statistics Agency (BPS) data showed that air traffic in Indonesia grew 22 percent to 53.4 million passengers in 2010 on the back of demand from the middle class for domestic flights.

That is higher than the 9 percent average increase recorded by Asia-Pacific carriers, according to data from the International Air Transport Association.

“Indonesia is among very few countries that managed to record strong growth in air traffic last year,” Bambang said. “The lack of available airlines compared to population and geographic conditions is only a sign that there’s a lot of opportunity here.”

Fernandes was in Tokyo for the announcement of AirAsia Japan, a new joint venture with Japan’s largest carrier, the ANA Group, to launch Japan’s second budget airline next year.

He confirmed his airline’s recent order for 300 Airbus A320neos. The deal, originally for 200 planes, was increased with an option for 100 more. It was the largest single aircraft order until Wednesday, when American Airlines ordered 460 Airbus and Boeing aircraft in a $38 billion deal.

Fernandes played down concerns raised by some analysts about the possible debt implications of such a deal, saying the company was cash rich, with a turnover of more than $4 billion last year, and operated as a group with a profit margin of about 20 percent.

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Despite the Federal Government and nation gave him a lot and tremendous concessions and space for him to prop his AirAsia up to this point, the bottom of the day everything is measured on how much money he would make.

It was a ‘directive’ that AirAsia be sold off for a token RM 1.00 eleven years ago, even though the owners then had over RM 30 million secured Armed Forces contract to ferry troops to and fro between Semenanjung and Sabah and Sarawak. Then the constant complaint about “Malaysia Airlines being a big bully” and “Not willing to co-operate”. AirAsia was allowed to go ahead with its flexible ticket pricing at the expense of Malaysia Airlines where Ministry of Transport (MOT) insisted the the national carrier must have a floor fixed price for tickets, based on IATA formula.

Then the perpetual complaints on Malaysia Airport Holdings Bhd (MAHB). The constant bitching did not go without AirAsia refusal to pay up all monies collected at source from passengers, where at a point the disputed amount was recorded at RM 114 million.

The ‘Level Four’ final Airline Rationalisation Plan in May 2006 saw many of Malaysia Airlines domestic routes were ‘transferred’ to AirAsia, especially in Sabah and Sarawak. The most significant as Rural Air Service (RAS) where these routes came with heavy Federal Government subsidy. Fernandes took these RAS routes and parked it under FAX. After a few months, he handed over RAS to Federal Government where the service had to be passed back to Malaysia Airlines to continue.

All of these allowed AirAsia to build their book and demonstrated extensive growth in passengers and routes. With that, they convinced international financiers and went listed on Bursa Malaysia.

Then the nation should not forget Fernandes’s attempt to ride on Sime Darby for proposed the low cost carrier dedicated airport in Labu. It was the bloggers who went against this vehemently and failed the attempt.

The soonest opportunity presented itself when Fernandes was appointed into BOD of Malaysia Airlines, the national carrier was ‘suckered of’ RM 18 million for sponsorship for his own private venture in English Premier League bottom-rung Queen’s Park Rangers. This is despite Fernandes’s agreement with Khazanah MD Tan Sri Azman Mokhtar, as the attention on the former is great.

The latest controversy was Fernandes’s way of going to the media and bitch against MAHB, especially during the final leg before the full picture of the much anticipated dedicated new LCCT terminal dubbed ‘KLIA 2’ was let out for public consumption. It was revealed that Fernandes consistently used the media in bitching overtones instead the proper channel to solve some of the issues.

The maestro of wayang tinggi opera has done it again and taken everyone for a ride. It serves as reminder that he cannot be trusted, at least from the perspective of the national agenda and ‘big picture’. Federal Government and now, Perak State Government too should really be mindful of allowing this man any inch for their proposal.

This dog has no qualms about biting the master’s hand the moment the treats don’t go his way.

Guinness Malaysia Book of Records for brushing teeth

If the general public having the perception that the Royal Malaysian Police comprises of stiff law enforcement officers who understand little about fun and letting their hair down, then they are mistaken. On Saturday morning, the Police Training Centre (Pulapol) in Jalan Semarak would be hosting a feat to assemble most people to brush their teeth simultaneously, so that they can make it into the Malaysia Book of Records.

They event will start at 0700hrs where participants will arrive, register and take their place. All senior officers at director level, which include IGP Tan Sri Ismail Omar and Deputy IGP Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar, would attend with their wives.

This event is organized by the Royal Malaysian Police in collaboration with the Dental Division of Ministry of Health. There would be exhibition on dental hygiene all day long at Pulapol. RTM would carry the event  to make it into the Guinness Malaysia Book of Records live on Selamat Pagi Malaysia, RTM 1.

Good luck, tooth police.

*Updated 0900hrs

It was announced during Selamat Pagi Malaysia that they managed to get more than 7,000 people to brush their teeth simultaneously this morning at Pulapol. It seems that they have made a record for Malaysia.

Perubatan global Khazanah perlu strategik bagi Malaysia

Pasaran perubatan antarabangsa merupakan salah satu teras portfolio perniagaan yang diberikan perhatian untuk diberikan penekanan bagi tujuan pembangunan oleh Khazanah Holdings Bhd, sebagai sayap pelaburan Kerajaan Malaysia.

KHAZANAH UNTUNG RM4.9B MENERUSI PENYENARAIAN IHH

Bernama, 15 Jun 2012

KUALA LUMPUR, 15 Jun — Penyenaraian Integrated Healthcare Holdings Sdn Bhd (IHH) bulan depan, akan menyaksikan syarikat pemegangan pelaburan kerajaan, Khazanah Nasional Bhd, memperoleh RM4.9 bilion dalam bentuk keuntungan yang tidak dinyata menerusi pegangan 62 peratus dalam syarikat penyedia perkhidmatan kesihatan antarabangsa itu.

Ini berikutan pelancaran serentak prospektus IHH hari ini di Suruhanjaya Sekuriti Malaysia dan Penguasa Kewangan Singapura untuk menyenaraikan sahamnya di bursa-bursa saham kedua-dua negara bulan depan, demikian menurut sumber terdekat dengan pengapungan tersebut.

Difahamkan juga, antara kandungan prospektus itu ialah pembelian saham oleh Kementerian Perdagangan Antarabangsa dan Industri dan pelabur strategik utama antarabangsa pada harga RM2.85 sesaham.

Dengan harga purata kos sesaham IHH sebelum pengapungan pada RM1.56, Khazanah bakal mengaut keuntungan sebanyak RM4.9 bilion menerusi pegangan 3.85 bilion saham IHHnya.

“Penyenaraian IHH telah menarik langganan berlebihan daripada para pelabur strategik utama dari serata dunia, dan ini akan mendiamkan para pengkritik yang mengatakan Khazanah terlebih bayar ke atas pembelian Parkway Holding Singapore pada tahun 2010,” kata sumber tersebut.

“Kini, hanya selepas dua tahun Parkway diambil alih, Khazanah telah menggabungkan aset-aset kesihatannya untuk menjadi pengendali hospital swasta kedua terbesar di dunia.”

Menurutnya, Model Baru Ekonomi ilham Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Tun Abdul Razak, telah mengubah Malaysia daripada pemain kecil dalam dunia hospital swasta kepada antara dua penggiat terbaik di dunia hari ini.

Kebelakangan ini, IHH aktif mengambil alih aset-aset baharu, yang antaranya melibatkan pembelian kumpulan hospital besar dari beberapa negara yang disempurnakan pada tahun 2010 dan 2012 ketika Najib menjadi pengerusi Khazanah.

Sektor kesihatan dikenal pasti jaguh sektor Model Baru Ekonomi. Khazanah kini memiliki beberapa kumpulan hospital di Turki (Acibadem AS), Parkway Holdings di Singapura, Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Ltd di India dan Pantai Hospitals and International Medical University yang berpangkalan di Malaysia.

Dwipenyenaraian IHH di Malaysia dan Singapore pada Julai nanti, menawarkan

2.23 bilion saham pada harga RM2.85 sesaham, bagi mengumpul dana sebanyak RM6.36 bilion.

Mokhzani Mahathir: Pemegang saham terbesar. — Foto fail

Kencana Capital Sdn Bhd, dengan Datuk Mokhzani Mahathir merupakan pemegang saham terbesarnya, dilaporkan bakal muncul sebagai antara pelabur strategik utama dalam penyenaraian tersebut, sekaligus menyertai semula industri kesihatan setelah melupuskan pegangannya dalam Pantai Holdings beberapa tahun lepas.

Syarikat pegangan pelaburan negara Kuwait, Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA), juga bakal melabur RM450 juta dalam tawaran awam permulaan (IPO) IHH di Malaysia dan Singapura, menjadikannya pelabur kedua terbesar dalam IHH.

IPO tersebut juga menarik minat beberapa pelabur strategik lain, seperti Blackrock Inc, Capital Group, Och-Ziff Capital Management Group, Government of Singapore Investment Corp, Fullerton Fund Managemenr, AIA Group dan Hwan Investment Management.

Ahli Kumpulan Bank Dunia, International Financial Corp (IFC), juga telah menyatakan rancangannya untuk menyertai penyenaraian IHH.

Langkah yang diambil oleh Perdana Menteri ini kini berjaya menjadikan Malaysia penggiat utama dalam sektor penjagaan kesihatan, dan sokongan IFC merupakan sokongan Bank Dunia terhadap Model Baru Ekonomi Baru Perdana Menteri.

Sehingga kini, langganan bahagian pelabur-pelabur strategik utama dilaporkan melebihi 1.31 kali, permohonan membabitkan kira-kira dua bilion saham berbanding 1.53 bilion yang ditawarkan kepada mereka.

IHH merupakan pengendali hospital terbesar Asia yang dimiliki 62 peratus oleh Khazanah Nasional Bhd dan 26.6 peratus oleh Mitsui & Co. dari Jepun, manakala Abraaj Capital dari Dubai menguasai 7.1 peratus, manakala ketua Kumpulan Hospital Turki Acibadem Mehmet Ali Aydinlar memiliki 4.2 peratus.

Ini merupakan tawaran awam permulaan terbesar Malaysia tahun ini selepas IPO Felda Global Ventures Holding Berhad yang bakal meraih dana sebanyak RM10.5 bilion pada harga RM4.55 sesaham.

IHH pasti akan kekal sebagai pengapungan terbesar Asia pada tahun 2012. Daripada 2.25 bilion saham, sebanyak 720 juta saham yang ditawarkan telah dilanggan oleh Kementerian Perdagangan Antarabangsa dan Industri. Saham selebihnya akan ditawarkan kepada pelabur runcit serta petugas dan pekerja-pekerja kesihatan. Pengurus utama penyenaraian ini ialah Bank of America-Merril Lynch, Deutsche Bank dan CIMB Group.

Credit Suisse, DBS, Goldman Sachs dan Malayan Banking ialah pengurus penerima tambahan. Nomura, OCBC and UBS merupakan pengurus penerima tambahan bersama. — Bernama

************

Pelaburan seperti ini adalah berasaskan model perniagaan dan unjuran keuntungan, pengurusan kecairan dan pulangan. Khazanah juga membuat perkiraan nilai portfolio pelaburan ini, yang disifatkan sebagai tambah nilai selepas pelaburan asas kedalam Pantai dan Parkway Hospitals beberapa tahun lampau telah menjadi modal kritikan hebat terhadap Khazanah.

Paling terkini ialah pengumuman untuk membeli Parkway Holdings Ltd. bernilai RM 2.76 billion.

Sekarang, apabila sampai ke persimpangan ini dan semua pelaburan bawah portfolio perkhidmatan perubatan ini telah dirasionalisasikan, Khazanah diharapkan untuk mengorak setapak yang lain. Keperluan penting yang Khazanah wajar mempertimbangkan secara serious dengan pelaburan dalam portfolio ini ialah kesan strategik kepada Malaysia dalam pelbagai segi seperti pertambahan nilai modal insan dan bukan setakat nilai tambah pelaburan dan ‘keuntungan kertas’ semata mata.

Peluang pelaburan sebegini besar dan strategik wajar digunakan sebagai platform untuk melatih professional Malaysia sebagai doktor pakar, pengurus fasiliti perubatan dan jururawat berkepakaran khusus. Jajaran pasaran dimana hospital hospital IHH akan diujudkan merupakan peluang untuk mengasah kemampuan dan bakat bagi professional yang menerima latihan melalui portfolio pelaburan perubatan ini.

Ini secara automatiknya akan memberikan professional Malaysia terutama dikalangan orang Melayu perspektif yang lebih meluas dan pengalaman yang mendalam, bagi dibawa pulang kembali ke Malaysia untuk diterapkan kepada perkhidmatan perubatan tempatan. Ini akan membawa peningkatan kepada perkhidmatan perubatan dan nilai tambah ini juga akan memberikan kesan kepada pengguna fasiliti perubatan seluruh negara, termasuk luar bandar.

Khazanah tidak menampakkan bahawa mereka memainkan peranan kearah usaha Kerajaan Malaysia untuk meningkatkan pendapatan rakyat dan kedudukan ekonomi negara, sesuai dengan sasaran negara berpendapatan dan bernilai ekonomi tinggi. Peranan mereka sekadar ‘penguasa portfolio’ tidak membuktikan Khazanah telah mengambil rancangan dan tindakan strategik untuk meningkatkan nilai tambah pelaburan, sesuai dengan keperluan taktikal dan strategik negara.

Sebagai contoh, pelaburan Khazanah yang dirasionalisasikan kebelakangan ini tidak menjurus kepada peningkatan besar peluang pekerjaan, terutama bagi golongan muda dan graduan mencari peluang pekerjaan pertama.

Khazanah juga tidak memaparkan program khusus agar pembangunan usahawanan Malaysia terutama dikalangan orang Melayu, boleh memainkan peranan sebagai pembekal dan penyedia keperluan bagi syarikat syarikat yang dikuasai sayap pelaburan Kerajaan Malaysia ini. Ini penting kerana peluang seperti menjadi pembekal kepada hospital dibawah IHH akan memberikan kedudukan lebih strategik untuk usahawan Malaysia terutama dikalangan orang Melayu, mencebur kedalam pasaran yang lebih mencabar.

Sekiranya Khazanah tidak mengambil peluang dalam portfolio pelaburan seperti IHH itu merealiasikan ‘gambaran besar’ (the big picture) bagi Malaysia, maka penyenaraian IPO ini sekadar sebuah agensi pelabur setakat menjaga portfolionya semata mata. Ini sama sekali tidak akan membantu mencapai sasaran Perdana Menteri Dato’ Seri Mohd. Najib Tun Razak bagi menentukan Malaysia berada ditahap yang lebih baik dan kukuh.