Malaysia Airlines too ‘expensive’ to run Joe Fernandez | November 4, 2015

The new airline boss is currently targeting providers of ground handling, maintenance, IT and office equipment in a bid to bring down costs.

KUALA LUMPUR: After having successfully reduced Malaysia Airline’s staff by 7,000 to 13, 000, its new Chief Christoph Mueller is working on cutting the number of supplier companies to the airline from 20,000 to “a more normal range of 2,500”, and re-negotiating cheaper terms and conditions. “The airline has secured a 25 per cent price cut in the catering contract with Brahim’s Airline Catering,” said Mueller in an interview with Financial Times (FT).

The new airline boss is currently targeting providers of ground handling, maintenance, IT and office equipment. “The biggest focus is on costs. This is the root cause of the airline’s financial problems.”

“Getting the cost right is a prerequisite. With a high-cost situation, you cannot price competitively without making a loss, so that needs to be addressed.”

Elsewhere, Mueller is re-focusing the airline’s flight network away from connecting Australia with Europe, to the emerging economies in Asia. The carrier has already reduced its capacity by 27 per cent by cutting some routes including Frankfurt, Istanbul and Brisbane. At Aer Lingus his previous job, added Mueller, he learnt the importance of making an airline an attractive takeover target.

The Irish airline was recently acquired for 1.36b Pounds Sterling by International Airlines Group, the owner of British Airlines. “So, rebranding will tell customers a different product is on offer,” said Mueller.”

“Demand in Australia and China is still weak because of the twin air tragedies last year, MH370 on March 8 and MH17 on July 17.”

Still, the airline could face a delay in its turnaround strategy. One reason is the 30 per cent depreciation in the ringgit against the US dollar. Airlines generally pay for fuel, leases and spare parts in US dollars. “There’s a negative impact of the depreciation of the ringgit in the trajectory of our turnaround plan,” conceded Mueller. “It’s unfortunate but it does not change the game. It might delay it.”

Persediaan Banjir Disember 2015

Infografik Bajet 2016: Faedah BR1M untuk rakyat mulai Januari, 2016

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak says a council not decided by the people could be seen as undemocratic and unconstitutional. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, November 13, 2015.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak today said that any council that was not decided by the people, could be deemed as undemocratic and unconstitutional.He is believed to be referring to a proposal by his most vocal critic, former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, for the setting up of a "council of elders" to guide the prime minister in leading the government.

"Any council that is not of the people's choice, that is to supervise the leaders, can be seen as undemocratic and directly contradicts the Federal Consitution that stands on democratic principles," he said in a blog posting today. "If there was a body that can control an elected leader, then we will deviate from the democratic system that has been the pillar of our country's peace and development."Dr Mahathir recently admitted that he had made the suggestion to the G25 group of prominent Malays promoting moderation, describing it a necessary move since the Cabinet would likely greenlight all of the prime minister's decisions.

"In the system that we have now, the prime minister chooses his own Cabinet, and he chooses people who will support him all the way. And of course that means whatever he does will be okayed by the Cabinet."Whereas an outside council, appointed by other people will not agree with the prime minister all the time. They can give their opinion. Maybe the prime minister would not accept, but at least he would hear other opinions," he had said.Najib, however, said as a country that practices democracy, leaders are elected by the people and urged for the principles of the Constitution to be upheld.

"Malaysia is a country that practices democracy. The leaders in the executive are elected through the party polls and general elections. They have received the mandate to be leaders and hold posts in the government to provide service to the people and the nation.

"As a Malaysian, no matter your post or position, we have to uphold the Constitution. As a leader, I have the responsibility to defend the National Principles (Rukun Negara) with all my power," he said.Constitutional expert Dr Aziz Bari also told The Malaysian Insider yesterday that Dr Mahathir's proposal to have a "council of elders" did not have a place in Malaysia's Federal Constitution.

He said installing the council would only worsen the system of governance. – November 13, 2015

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HAZE - AIN'T IT THE PITTS!

In 1997 Malaysians were assaulted by a phenomena unknown previously - the HAZE... no..it aint a horror movie nor was it a Stephen King novella of some ungodly attack by monsters hiding in the haze.

It was mankind at his worst, pure and simple. An un-wanton destruction of nature for ease of profits and an uncaring attitude towards the environment. This time however the magnitude of the destruction was such that the an entire region of the planet was engulfed by smoke from the burning of tropical forests in Sumatera and neighboring zones in Indonesia.

Malaysia being the caring and sometimes unrealistic neighbor sent help as never seen before. Men and equipment to fight these fires even at the cost of lives and money unaccounted till now, all in the name of ASEAN brotherhood.

So, what have the Indonesians done since then? Eermm....hurmmm....eerrrr...lemme see...

Yes siree, thats right! Nada! Nyet! Zilch! Langsung tiada!

Am i exaggerating? Well go look out of your window today then! by the way folks its September 2015 and in 1997 it was about this time of the month too...

Rhetorics aplenty! Promises a zillion on what, when, how that government is going to tackle and stop this yearly nuisance!

Nuisance?? Hmmm....to us ordinary people...but in reality a medical hazard, an ecological catastrophe, an extinction event for some creatures and a list that can go on and on..none of which is good.

Jokowi said last week at Palembang, Sumatera that everyone know what needs to be done to stop this fires from causing such misery to everyone. Kudos to Jokowi as he had also extended the Moratorium on land that cannot be touched for deforestation. While Mr Jokowi must be commended for his tough talk which i believe will carry some weight, i cannot but be amused at his Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya.

She was on her way back to Indonesia to join Jokowi after cutting short an official trip to Norway on climate change talks! Duh..... charity begins at home laa Kak...

So, come August, September every year, Malaysia, Singapore gets a very unwelcome visitor via the southerly winds from Sumatera...get out your face masks folks, its that time of the year again!

Abdul Aziz Wahab

September 11, 2015

Indonesia sending thousands of troops to fight smog-causing fires.

PADAMARAN, Indonesia (Reuters) - Indonesia said on Friday it will send more than 10,000 troops to fight fires in southern Sumatra, as smoke makes thousands sick, delays flights and pushes air quality to unhealthy levels in neighbouring Singapore and Malaysia.

Indonesia has vowed before to end the seasonal fires but has failed each time to stop the so-called "haze", caused by slash-and-burn clearances on the islands of Sumatra and Borneo, where large areas of forest concessions are held by pulp an.d paper and palm oil companies.

Indonesian troops will be sent to the provinces of South Sumatra and Jambi, two of the main hotspots, Indonesia's National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) said.

If necessary, the agency would also send in additional helicopters to help water-bomb fires.

"We have mobilized national resources to put out the fires," newly appointed BNPB chief Willem Rampangilei said in a press.

South Sumatra, one of the main centres of the fires, has alone reported 22,585 cases of acute respiratory tract infections since Friday.

Early on Friday, Singapore's Pollutants Standard Index rose to 248, which categorises the air as "very unhealthy", or one level below the index's highest air pollution category of "hazardous".

Singapore, which was voting in a general election on Friday, advised citizens against strenuous outdoor exercise.