M.D should shoulder MAS loss

What justification can the C.E.O of MAS
have when the national carrier for which he was the
head suffer such excruciating 1st quarter loss of $280
million?To blame the loss on high fuel cost is at best
a feeble excuse when other airlines merely suffer a
dip in profits.In contrast, S.I.A (Singapore Airlines)
merely posted a 7.9% decline in profit for the 1st
quarter while Cathay Pacific Airways reported a drop
in profit of 5.7% for the six months.(nst 23rd August,
2005).What is even more interesting and glaring of
mismanagement at MAS is the performance of budget
airline AirAsia Bhd which is a fifth the size of MAS
but is slated to post a quarterly net profit of $30
million.
When I perused the resume of the outgoing M.D I
was shocked to discover that he is an Anthropology
graduate of U.M.Now what business has an anthropology
graduate has managing a multi-million enterprise
company like MAS?It doesn't matter that he was exposed
for some time in the aircraft industry. The bottom
line is he is just not qualified acadametically for
such a post.
Next we learn that the front runner to be the
next C.E.O is a young Cambridge graduate who is the
present Chief Executive of MAS' parent company,
Penerbangan Malaysia Bhd.I am impress with his
academic qualification but what experience has a young
man of 34 has of running a multi- million company like
MAS?Frankly, those people enthrusted to appoint a
suitable person to manage the national carrier has
fail miserably.Time and time again their decision has
not been based on pure ability and qualification but
more on political connection and cronyism.This
practice is prevalent in all govt Linked companies
and as a result most of them have underperformed and
consequently suffer unprecedented losses.
Its time those who are enthrusted with the
responsibilty to appoint personnel in govt-linked
companies are held accountable for their
selections.They should not be allowed to squander tax
payer's money by making appointments to suit their
preference rather than appointments to suit the
company.