OVER the weekend, Malaysia Airlines (MAS) staff held multi-faith prayers for the passsengers and crew members of flight MH17.
Less than five months after the MH370 tragedy, the sight of MAS crew members crying their hearts out after watching a video tribute to the MAS Academy in Kelana Jaya, Selangor, was indeed a gut- wrenching moment.
The feeling of loss and grief can’t be described in words, and understandably, morale among the 20,000-strong workforce is low.
Now is the time for MAS’s parent, Khazanah Nasional Bhd, to grab the bull by the horns and do whatever it takes to revive the fortunes of the financially-distressed national carrier.
MAS Employees Union (Maseu) executive secretary Mohd Jabbarullah Abd Kadir, in a press conference last week, laid out all the options that he felt could turn around MAS.
He repeated all of the proposals mentioned in news reports, such as privatisation, injection of new blood and overhauling the management and taking a relook at the routes.
The union also mentioned some very interesting options. For example, Mohd Jabbarullah has a gameplan involving Firefly that he felt could revive the ailing national carrier.
These are some of the things that the government needs to know now so that Maseu can come out with a workable plan for MAS, together with the unions.
It is time for all stakeholders to pool their resources and work together rather than in isolation to ensure that the national carrier will fly high once again.
Selamat Hari Raya!