PAS says Tony Fernandes better than Idris Jala

PAS has hit out at Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s recent decision in appointing Datuk Seri Idris Jala as a Minister in the Prime Minister’s department and chief executive officer of the Performance Management and Delivery Unit (Pemandu).

The Islamic party’s vice-presidents Datuk HajI Mahfuz Omar and Datuk Sallehuddin Ayub told reporters today that the party is questioning the basis and criteria of Idris’ appointment, claiming that the former MAS chief executive had no record of outstanding performance in his previous job.

Their remarks come despite Idris receiving high marks for turning around the national carrier from the time he took over in late 2005, when MAS faced losses of over RM1 billion.

“We want to know why our beloved prime minister has appointed Idris as a minister. In terms of corporate experience, Idris has not shown any excellent performance,” said Sallehuddin.

“If the government is looking for a candidate with proper experience and a good track record, I feel that Tony Fernandes is more suitable,” quipped Sallehuddin, referring to the current AirAsia boss.

He believed that when talking about business ideals and vision, Fernandes had proven himself by spearheading and managing a budget airline that was now well known throughout the world.

He said Idris’s appointment also was seen as a sign of weakness and inefficiency of Gerakan President Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon, who is also Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in charge of National Unity and Performance Management.

“If the PM has to bring in someone to help Koh, that means Koh has not been performing well at all. Nothing amazing has happened since Koh’s appointment,” said Sallehuddin.

He went on to accuse Idris of not doing enough to find the culprits for the losses Malaysia Airlines suffered as a result of its cargo operations in Frankfurt-Hahn airport in Germany.

“Why did Idris not do anything about it? People who should be appointed in positions of power are those whom we find capable and have credibility.”

The Frankfurt-Hahn airport debacle happened some years before Idris took over the national carrier.

Just two months before Idris took over as managing director, the national carrier commenced litigation against its former executive chairman Tan Sri Tajudin Ramli, former vice-president (cargo) Ralph Manfred Gotz and the company’s ex-consultant, Uwe Juergen Beck.

In June this year, however, a European arbitration tribunal had ordered Malaysia Airlines to pay Advanced Cargo Logistic GmbH 6.9 million euros (RM34 million) for breach of a cargo handling contract.

In 2004, ACL had sought to claim 62.7 million euros (RM310 million) from MAS after the Malaysian firm breached an agreement to maintain its European cargo hub at Germany’s Frankfurt-Hahn airport for 10 years from 1999.


comments

Fernandes is definetely much better, his the international icon.

when PR comes to govt, bring in Tony as Minister of Trade...he will do a damn good job.