A new all-red airline will take to the skies soon, and one should not be faulted for confusing it with the present incumbent low-cost carrier (LCC) at first glance. After all, it is no secret that the majority of MYAirline Sdn Bhd’s top management and employees had previously worked for AirAsia Group, including its co-founder and CEO Rayner Teo Kheng Hock.
And Teo has roped in his former colleagues at AirAsia, Kathleen Tan and Stuart Cross, for the venture. Tan, former China president of AirAsia, is now MYAirline’s chief executive adviser, and Cross is its chief operating officer (COO).
In an interview with The Edge at the airline’s office in Subang Jaya, Selangor, last week, Teo did not shy away from acknowledging that there were many similarities between MYAirline and AirAsia, from its business model to its aircraft type and the use of red, but he believes the new budget airline can differentiate itself by focusing on customer experiences and seat offerings.
“When we were choosing the colours to grace our airline, we told our team to avoid red, blue, purple and orange. After two to three days, however, we couldn’t find any colours interesting enough to make us want to look at it more than once. We would always skew towards the colour red, and the significant role red plays in Chinese culture also played a large part [in our final decision],” he says.
Thus, MYAirline has unveiled a livery that pairs red with streaks of grey.
Teo likens it to English football clubs Liverpool and Manchester United, arch-rivals on the field that don the colour red.
But MYAirline is determined to prove itself to be the “better red”.
“
As a start-up, because we are small, we are nimble, more aggressive, and if we get ideas, we can work on them quickly. And if anything doesn’t go right, we will make sure that we address it just as quickly,” he says.
MYAirline recently received its air operator’s certificate from the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM), paving the way for Malaysia’s newest low-cost start-up to start flying passengers. The approval essentially confirms that MYAirline has complied with all safety regulations set in place for aircraft operations.
But there are still several regulatory approvals, including a full air service licence from the Malaysian Aviation Commission, that are needed before it can put flights up for sale. Until then, it cannot disclose the new routes it plans to fly to, except to say that it will start operating with domestic flights in the one-hour range and target leisure traffic with its three Airbus A320s.
“Pretty much everything is in place. We are ready to go,” says Teo.
And it is looking to fill the void left by incumbent players, which were forced to quickly shrink, cut routes and ground hundreds of planes during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Still, the new airline’s entry into the capital-intensive sector has raised eyebrows, with many pointing to the chequered history of airlines in Malaysia as well as the daunting global economic outlook gripped by recession fears, surging inflation and sky-rocketing jet fuel prices. Even before the pandemic, incumbent airlines such as Malaysia Airlines, AirAsia, Batik Air (formerly known as Malindo Air) and Firefly were unprofitable as the airline market was suffering from overcapacity and irrational competition.
Teo points out, however, that MYAirline has several things going for it, including lower rates for new aircraft leases and abundance of airport slots and skilled labour (pilots and cabin crew) in the aftermath of the pandemic, which means previous barriers to entry have been lowered.
“We are reaping the benefits of getting good planes [at lower leasing rates] and we have secured as many planes as we can,” he says.
Maybank Investment Bank (Maybank IB) aviation analyst Samuel Yin Shao Yang concurs, noting that leasing rates for an A320 has dropped to about US$200,000 (RM927,000) per month, down 33% from US$300,000 per month before the pandemic.
Teo also says MYAirline has had no issue hiring talents such as pilots and cabin crew after Covid-19 lockdowns led incumbent airlines such as AirAsia and Batik Air to downsize. The airline already has about 330 employees, but that number is expected to increase to 500 by the year’s end.
“We are still seeing the economic benefits [from the pandemic], but we are also wary that at some point in time — maybe next year — we will see some changes when recovery happens,” he adds.
Maybank IB’s Yin says it will not be an easy start for new airlines such as MYAirline, owing to the recent strength of the US dollar and still-high oil prices.
“US dollar-denominated expenses typically account for 60% to 70% of an airline’s expense. Meanwhile, oil prices are in their best of times, which is not so great for airlines as jet fuel traditionally accounts for 30% to 50% of their expenses,” he tells The Edge.
Nevertheless, Yin notes that lower aircraft lease rates and higher fares have more than compensated for the weaker ringgit and still-high oil prices. The ringgit has fallen around 11% against the greenback over the past year.
“The saving grace for MYAirline is that fares in the last two years have been high, and that was due to low [seat] capacity. But what we are seeing is that fares have remained high despite capacity being brought back [post-pandemic]. The reason for that is many airlines had cut capacity during the pandemic and, thus, with demand recovering, supply remains tight and fares remain high,” he says.
He adds that fares in general are up about 25% since the pandemic. “In some cases, fares have doubled, especially for long-haul flights as airlines like AirAsia had stopped flying [to some of these long-haul destinations] and have yet to resume their service. A return ticket to London now costs RM10,000 compared with RM5,000 before the pandemic, while a return ticket to Sydney or Melbourne costs RM5,000, up from RM2,500 before the pandemic. Yet, people still want to fly.”
According to Yin, what is preventing the aviation industry from fully recovering to pre-pandemic levels are the backlogs at maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) service providers, which is making it harder for incumbent airlines to return airplanes that were grounded during the pandemic to the skies as quickly as they would like. Global airlines were forced to slash capacity to as little as 2% of pre-pandemic levels during the pandemic.
“Demand has been quite resilient, actually. Thus, I believe the issue has more to do with redeploying of planes rather than demand. The MRO service providers are unable to repair and redeploy aircraft fast enough, owing to a shortage of spare parts and labour,” he says.
Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) director-general Subhas Menon says it will take time for airlines to restore their capacity to pre-pandemic levels as the aircraft have to undergo maintenance checks and staff will need to be retrained.
“It’s not like turning a tap on and off. Airlines have to make a lot of preparations to bring their flights back. The staff will need to be retrained after not working for more than two years, while many have left the industry during the pandemic. So, you have to attract them back. Just the background checks and certification required by authorities can take two to four months,” he adds.
Still, with travel restrictions starting to ease in places such as Hong Kong, Japan and Taiwan, Subhas believes this is an optimal time for new airlines like MYAirline to launch.
“If you look around, there seems to be a lot of pent-up demand at the moment. Many countries are reporting a huge surge in demand in the last few months and it doesn’t look like it is abating anytime soon,” he continues.
“But, of course, we have to be conscious of the headwinds ahead such as surging inflation; rising interest rates; the strong US dollar, which makes other currencies weaker; and the supply chain problems that affect food and energy security and also drive up cost. But the good thing is that, even though everyone is predicting a [global] recession, it will be a job-full recession. In other words, unemployment is very low.
”
The people behind MYAirline
Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM) data shows that Zillion Wealth Bhd has an 88% stake in MYAirline and Trillion Cove Holdings Bhd has 10% equity interest, while Teo owns the remaining 2% of the airline’s shares. Both Zillion Wealth and Trillion Cove, a money lending and financing company, name Datuk Goh Hwan Hua as a director.
Teo has more than 34 years’ experience in the aviation industry, 15 of which were spent at AirAsia as group head of sales and distribution.
“Having been in the airline industry from day one, one of the goals I had was to one day start a new airline,” he says.
According to Teo, both he and Goh have been working to start the airline since the onset of the pandemic. “I first met Datuk Goh when I was working with AirAsia and he was providing some services to the airline. That’s how we became friends and that’s how we got connected. It’s been over 10 years.”
Apart from Goh and Teo, MYAirline’s three other directors are Datuk Abd Hamid Mohd Ali, former COO of Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd; Datuk Seri Azharuddin Abdul Rahman, former director-general of the Malaysian Civil Aviation Department (now known as CAAM); and Jothi Prakash Murugan, who is a director at Trillion Cove, the SSM filing reveals.
“We recognised the fact that we needed to have a strong team in terms of the board to support me. So, we went out there to look for them. They did not need much convincing because everybody bought the idea of a new airline very quickly. They believe in this as well,” says Teo.
Avoiding pitfalls
Teo recognises that the operating environment in Malaysia will remain challenging even after the pandemic, amid a generally price-sensitive population, with many players in a small market and high jet fuel prices. As such, he is making sure MYAirline does not over-expand too fast.
“We have seen situations where some people are very aggressive. To a certain extent, they become too aggressive. When that happens, they tend to put in a lot of capacity,” he says, adding that MYAirline expects to expand its fleet to more than 50 planes in five years. “We are not going in and making empty promises or over-promising.”
According to AAPA’s Subhas, the pandemic has so far not been partial to any kind of business model. Both LCCs and full-service carriers (FSCs) alike have been hit hard by the border closures and multiple lockdowns.
“Likewise, the recovery is also not partial to any kind of business model. The same factors apply — the airline business, whether you like it or not, is a high-cost business. It is all a matter of how airlines manage their finances to make sure they are always cash-flow positive. So I don’t think it really matters what sort of business model you are adopting; it is more how you manage demand and supply,” he says.
Maybank IB's Yin believes starting an LCC would be a better bet in a potential recession as cash-strapped travellers would choose low-fare airlines.
“There are fears that the hawkish US Federal Reserve’s actions will ultimately lead to a global recession, probably next year. And LCCs tend to do reasonably well [during a recession] as consumers trade down [to cheaper travel],” he says.
Yin adds that airlines are behaving more rationally post-pandemic, pointing to Malaysia Airlines, which is selling tickets at a more reasonable price level.
He says: “They [Malaysia Airlines] have more resources because of government backing. Its group CEO Captain Izham Ismail had come out to say that his key performance indicator is based on how much money he draws down from Khazanah Nasional Bhd.
“That tells you that the market is behaving more rationally.” As part of the national carrier’s debt restructuring in 2020, Khazanah had committed to injecting RM3.6 billion in new capital into holding company Malaysia Aviation Group Bhd to fund the group’s business until 2025.
“The same goes for Batik Air. They have been loss-making since they came to Malaysia. But fare-wise, they are now behaving more rationally. They are taking delivery of 10 Boeing 737-8 MAX aircraft [from Lion Group this year] and that’s about it. So, everyone is in this kind of [cautious] mode,” says Yin.
Australian daily Herald Sun reported that the fall caused 36-year-old Erin Crocker multiple joint franctures and a torn ligament which required major surgery.
It said Crocker had rejected a settlement offer from AirAsia, which her lawyer Nancy Yonan described as "only a minute fraction of the claim’s true value".
AirAsia, which recently suffered its first air disaster after flight QZ8501 from Surabaya to Singapore crashed into the Java Sea killing all 162 on board, had also wanted her to agree not to make any further claims, the report added.
Yonan said Crocker initially did not want to take "money away from those victims" by pursuing her legal action, but eventually decided to "fight for her rights".
AirAsia has had trouble in the past with Australian authorities.
In 2012, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), a consumer watchdog, took legal action against the airline for allegedly failing to disclose the full price of fares for flights from Australia.
The Federal Court in Melbourne later imposed a penalty of A$200,000 against the budget airline for contravening the single pricing provision of the Australian Consumer Law.
“Unless the full price is prominently displayed the consumer may well be attracted to a transaction which he or she would not otherwise have found to be appealing and grudgingly pay the additional imposts rather than go to the trouble of withdrawing from the transaction and looking elsewhere,” said judge Richard Tracey in his judgement. – January 18, 2015.
Source: MSN
KUCHING: The decision on Malaysia Airlines (MAS) and AirAsia Bhd’s appeal to the Competition Appeals Tribunal (CAT) over the breach of market-sharing prohibition in the Competition Act 2010 will be known next year.
The Malaysia Competition Commission (MyCC) last year fined the two carriers RM10 million each for violating the Act.
MyCC chairman Tan Sri Siti Norma Yaakob said yesterday the case was in the appeal stage and the outcome would only be known in March next year.
She also said the MyCC was investigating 15 out of a total of 47 cases received since the Act came into force on January 1 2012.
“We have received 47 complaints but many had to be set aside as the complaints were incomplete; they (complainants) had refused to come forward when asked... just complaining but with no evidence.”
Siti Norma said she could not give details of the 15 cases as they were under investigation.
The former chief judge of Malaya was speaking at a news conference after the launch of guidelines against bid-rigging in public procurement and the Help Us Detect Bid-Rigging guidebook, here, yesterday by Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Datuk Seri Hasan Malek.
Hasan said bid-rigging might increase tender price by 12 to 15 per cent, thereby causing wastage in public procurement.
“We must pool efforts to stem overpriced procurement of goods, services and workers who are sub-standard,” he said.
Hasan said wastage was a loss to society and country and could be avoided if the procurement process was under tight control, which would prevent bid-rigging.
Bernama
The Malaysia Competition Commission (MyCC) last year fined the two carriers RM10 million each for violating the Act.
MyCC chairman Tan Sri Siti Norma Yaakob said yesterday the case was in the appeal stage and the outcome would only be known in March next year.
She also said the MyCC was investigating 15 out of a total of 47 cases received since the Act came into force on January 1 2012.
“We have received 47 complaints but many had to be set aside as the complaints were incomplete; they (complainants) had refused to come forward when asked... just complaining but with no evidence.”
Siti Norma said she could not give details of the 15 cases as they were under investigation.
The former chief judge of Malaya was speaking at a news conference after the launch of guidelines against bid-rigging in public procurement and the Help Us Detect Bid-Rigging guidebook, here, yesterday by Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Datuk Seri Hasan Malek.
Hasan said bid-rigging might increase tender price by 12 to 15 per cent, thereby causing wastage in public procurement.
“We must pool efforts to stem overpriced procurement of goods, services and workers who are sub-standard,” he said.
Hasan said wastage was a loss to society and country and could be avoided if the procurement process was under tight control, which would prevent bid-rigging.
Bernama
On September 12th, the launch ceremony was held in Grenoble, France, the venue of the verification project. At that time it was announced that the actual verification project would commence from October 1st.
This ceremony was held with a large mass media presence from all parts of the world. Toyota Chairman Takeshi Uchiyamada commented with great fervor, "TOYOTA is constantly seeking new forms of mobility to change the amazement of today into the commonplace of tomorrow."
He also said, "The urban transportation sector is a new growth arena for the next generation of TOYOTA". In this way he expressed his passion for this verification project.
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1. The secretary to the Ministry of Trade and Industry avers that trade negations must be done in secret, I suppose by the officers concerned. There should apparently be no public debate or even within the Government.
2. I don’t think it is such a good practice, if indeed that is the practice. Let us see the record of trade and other agreements negotiated by the Malaysian Government. They do not seem to favour Malaysia much. In fact they seem to result in Malaysia accepting unfavourable terms.
3. Firstly let us look at the water agreement with Singapore. Malaysia agreed to sell raw water at 3 cents per 1000 gallons. In return Malaysia can buy 12 per cent or less of the treated water for 50 cents. If the rates are to be revised both countries must agree.
4. If Malaysia raises the rate to 6 cent per 1000 gallons (i.e. 100 per cent) then Singapore can raise by the same factor to 1 dollar per 1000 gallons of treated water. This is not going to benefit Malaysia. And so we never tried to renegotiate the prices.
5. The first agreement lapsed in 2011 and we did not renegotiate at all. The next agreement will lapse in 2060. So we will be getting 3 cents per 1000 gallons of raw water when the cost of living has probably gone up many-many times.
6. To avoid Singapore revising the price of water if we raise the price of raw water, Johor was given enough money to build its own treatment plant. Not having to depend on supply from Singapore, we could raise the price of raw water without Singapore raising the price of treated water.
7. I am told that Johor still needs to buy treated water from Singapore. I really do not know why. So the price has not been renegotiated and I suppose will not be renegotiated until 2060.
8. Today the Singapore Dollar is 2 ½ times the value of the Malaysian Ringgit. At the time of the agreement it was one to one. Are we receiving payment in Singapore Dollar or Malaysian Ringgit? Or is this a secret also?
9. Frankly I don’t think we thought very carefully when we negotiated. Incidentally Johor sells water at 30 cent per 1000 gallons to Melaka, i.e. 1000 per cent higher than for Singapore.
10. Then there is the purchase of the F/A-18 fighter aircraft. Actually the Government wanted the MIG-29. Somehow part of the fund was used to purchase the F/A-18. I suppose the people who made this decision know why they must have the F/A-18.
11. Unfortunately the agreement to purchase did not include the source code. Without the source code the F/A-18 can only fly on missions approved by the United States. Until then these very expensive fighter planes can only be used for show at LIMA. Very expensive toys.
12. Then there is the AFTA, the Asean Free Trade Area. We agreed that cars with 40 per cent local contents qualify as national and tax-free entry into ASEAN markets. Forty per cent local contents are easily achieved by cars from outside ASEAN. This means the Japanese, Korean, Chinese and European cars can get ASEAN countries’ national status merely by being assembled in ASEAN countries together with batteries, tyres and a few other components.
13. We produce the Proton in Malaysia with 90% local contents. Naturally our costs are higher and cannot compete with non-ASEAN cars assembled in ASEAN countries. While these cars flood the Malaysian market, hardly any Proton is seen in ASEAN countries.
14. The negotiators may think they negotiated a good deal but I just don’t think so. We are simply opening our markets to countries with closed markets.
15. But to make matters worse, while Proton must comply with Malaysian safety and other standards, the imported cars are given exemptions from most of these. If Proton wishes to export to the countries of the manufacturers, it must comply with all their standards. So far we cannot export to Japan, Korea and the European countries. This is how good the agreements we have entered into.
16. We lost Pulau Batu Puteh but we cannot build the bridge or remove the causeway, or settle the provident fund issue. But we have given up our railway land worth billions to Singapore for practically nothing. And now we must ask Singapore’s permission to build our high speed train.
17. Look at all the agreements we have entered into and you will find practically none of them favours us.
18. Now we want to swallow the American conceived TPP, Trans Pacific Partnership. This is another attempt by America to let their huge corporations penetrate the domestic markets of the small countries, in particular Government procurements.
19. When the GATT (General Agreement on Trade and Tariff) failed they invented WTO (World Trade Organisation) for the same purpose. That also failed. They then invented APEC. Still they cannot achieve their objective. They introduced bilateral free trade agreements. Then they promoted a Globalised World, a world without borders in which their money can go anywhere, destroy economies and then pull out. In case we have forgotten they did this in 1997 – 8.
20. Still they cannot get at Government procurement. And now they invented TPP, a partnership of unequal, of the strong to take advantage of the weak.
21. This is going to be legally binding. If we breach the agreement, their corporations can sue the Government for billions. I have my doubts about our ability to convince the international arbitrators or courts. We cannot even convince the World Court over Pulau Batu Puteh.
22. They will have the best lawyers, lots of them. We will exhaust all our funds to pay our less experienced lawyers. At the end we will lose and pay indemnities and fees running into billions. And we will continue to pay until we comply. And when we comply we will lose more money.
23. We have a domestic problem and we have to solve this problem. They don’t care. Anyone who talks about the New Economic Policy (NEP) is labelled racist by our officials. When the currency rogues attacked us the purpose was to gain control over our economy. We resisted that because we were still free then. But after we sign the TPP we will be bound hand and foot. No more capital control. We will be colonised again. President Sukarno was right about neo-colonialism.
24. I know MITI is already set to agree to the TPP. It will not entertain any counter arguments. It wants to do this secretly. We don’t punish people who make agreements detrimental to the interest of this country. So what is there to lose.
25. This is my country as much as it is the country of the officials and politicians. If people secretly do harm to my country I have a right to complain.
26. We talk a lot about transparency. Let us see transparency regarding the TPP negotiation. The October 2013 ultimatum should be ignored. And let China also be included.
PETALING JAYA (Nov 23, 2012): AirAsia Bhd has been granted with an air operator’s certificate (AOC) by the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) to fly for another five months — instead of a two-year period — for not meeting regulatory standards, said sources.
The current AOC is valid until April 2013.
Sources told SunBiz that AirAsia had only obtained a six-month AOC — an approval granted from the DCA to an aircraft operator to allow it to use aircraft for commercial purposes — after periodical audit findings by DCA showed shortcomings in AirAsia’s flight operations procedures and practices including flawed communications between flight operations and pilots, an outdated manual and flight operations not in keeping with the manual.
The six-month period allows for AirAsia to work with the DCA to bring its flight operations procedures and practices up to mark.
It is also understood that AirAsia’s head for flight operations has been changed due to the action.
Three key posts in an airline are nominated with the approval of the DCA, namely the head for flight operations, engineering maintenance system and crew training.
“The fact that they have not grounded AirAsia aircraft shows that it’s not a serious safety issue, but this action still serves as a warning,” one source told SunBiz.
Scheduled commercial airlines based in Malaysia are awarded two-year renewals of AOC by DCA.
In other markets, depending on the track record of the airline, AOCs can be valid for up to five years before a renewal is due.
While the audit is a biennial affair, the DCA conducts inspections on airlines at least once a year.
According to another source, a two-year renewal is given if airlines meet standards set by the regulator. Otherwise they are given a period of time, depending on the issue, to comply before a renewal of AOC is given, or it is revoked entirely.
In the event of a withdrawal of an AOC, the airline can work to meet standards set and re-apply for an AOC which will have to be approved by the Cabinet.
AirAsia and DCA officials did not respond to questions sent via e-mail, as at press time.
An industry observer said it is unlikely that AirAsia will let the situation progress to an outright withdrawal of AirAsia’s AOC, ultimately grounding its flights.
“They (AirAsia) will definitely address whatever issues DCA have and make sure they bring in the right people and fire the wrong people, because too much is at stake.”
He added that while the action taken by DCA is unlikely to have any financial impact on AirAsia as a company, it may impact its reputation as an airline and its ability to secure the best deals for financing in the future.
Visit:
malaysiaairlinesfamilies and airasiafamilies!
Posted on 23 November 2012 – 05:36am
sunbiz@thesundaily.com
Indonesian low-cost carrier Lion Air will start a hybrid airline in Malaysia in a joint venture with the country's National Aerospace and Defence Industries (NADI).
The new carrier, named Malindo Airways, will start operations in May 2013 with a fleet of 12 Boeing 737-900ER aircraft.
The airline will offer a "hybrid product" using aircraft with a two-class configuration – 12 in business and 168 in economy. The aircraft will also be equipped with in-flight entertainment systems and in-flight connectivity, Lion Air president director Rusdi Kirana said at a press event in Kuala Lumpur, ahead of the signing ceremony.
Under the agreement, NADI will hold a 51% stake in the new carrier and Lion Air 49%. The airline has named Kirana's personal assistant, Chandran Ramamuthy, as its chief executive.
Malindo will be based at Kuala Lumpur International airport's terminal two and focus on routes between Malaysia and Lion Air's hub in Indonesia before operating to other cities such as Bangkok, Manila, Hanoi and Guangzhou. It will also operate on domestic routes.
The carrier intends to add 12 aircraft to its fleet each year, including the Boeing 737 Max and 787. These aircraft will come from Lion Air's current order book, says Kirana.
The five 787s Lion Air has on order – originally set for its premium carrier Batik Air – will instead go to Malindo in 2015. Lion Air is now in talks with Boeing to order an additional 10 787s, said Kirana.
To compete as a newcomer, the new airline will offer ticket prices lower or at least on par with that of Malaysian low-cost carrier AirAsia, said Kirana, adding that Malindo will have a low cost base owing to the involvement of NADI.
The new carrier, named Malindo Airways, will start operations in May 2013 with a fleet of 12 Boeing 737-900ER aircraft.
The airline will offer a "hybrid product" using aircraft with a two-class configuration – 12 in business and 168 in economy. The aircraft will also be equipped with in-flight entertainment systems and in-flight connectivity, Lion Air president director Rusdi Kirana said at a press event in Kuala Lumpur, ahead of the signing ceremony.
Under the agreement, NADI will hold a 51% stake in the new carrier and Lion Air 49%. The airline has named Kirana's personal assistant, Chandran Ramamuthy, as its chief executive.
Malindo will be based at Kuala Lumpur International airport's terminal two and focus on routes between Malaysia and Lion Air's hub in Indonesia before operating to other cities such as Bangkok, Manila, Hanoi and Guangzhou. It will also operate on domestic routes.
The carrier intends to add 12 aircraft to its fleet each year, including the Boeing 737 Max and 787. These aircraft will come from Lion Air's current order book, says Kirana.
The five 787s Lion Air has on order – originally set for its premium carrier Batik Air – will instead go to Malindo in 2015. Lion Air is now in talks with Boeing to order an additional 10 787s, said Kirana.
To compete as a newcomer, the new airline will offer ticket prices lower or at least on par with that of Malaysian low-cost carrier AirAsia, said Kirana, adding that Malindo will have a low cost base owing to the involvement of NADI.
APPRECIATIVE: Najib (centre) takes a closer look at a replica of a Malindo Airways aircraft which he received from Rusid (left) after the agreement signing ceremony. – Bernama photo
KUALA LUMPUR: National Aerospace & Defence Industries Sdn Bhd (Nadi) and PT Lion Air Grup Indonesia (Lion Air) yesterday signed four memoranda of understanding paving the way to a joint-venture to establish a budget airline, Malindo Airways.
The agreements were signed by Nadi president Tan Sri Datuk Ahmad Johan and Lion Air president Rusdi Kirana in the presence of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
The new airline will focus on short-haul flights within the Asian region and is expected to begin operation from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (KLIA2) by May 1 next year.
The signing of the agreement was an important milestone in Malaysia’s aviation industry and economic cooperation between Malaysia and Indonesia.
“The venture will see Nadi holding a 51 per cent stake in the JV company, with Lion Air holding the remainder stake,” said Rusdi at a press conference before the signing ceremony.
“Malaysia passenger traffic will be buoyed by growing demand and is projected at 4.9 million passengers per year. Short haul (below four hours) and low cost airline business model will become the dominant carriers,” he said.
Rusdi affirmed that Malindo Airways would be positioned to meet the demand and provide a hybrid product offering to passengers.
“This joint venture will fortify the aviation business eco-system in Malaysia,” he added. “It will provide economies of scale as well as economies of scope.”
The airline will initially fly to Kota Kinabalu, several destinations across Indonesia, Manila, Hanoi and cities in Australia and China. Over the next decade it hopes to expand its fleet to 100 planes, including five flagship 787- Dreamliners to be delivered in 2015.
Rusdi said the airline would set itself apart from competitors by providing in-flight digital connectivity, apart from in-flight entertainment system, state-of-the-art airplanes and ample leg space.
Najib who spoke at the signing ceremony pointed out the necessity for Malindo Airways to be formulated to suit today’s economic outlook.
“As we know, airlines today face huge challenges especially in terms of escalating operational costs and soaring fuel prices.
He added that airlines needed to be innovative and creative to continue to be profitable and sustainable as a business, without compromising on service levels, reliability and affordability.
“A collaboration such as the one witnessed today may very well provide this new airline with various savings and efficiencies in terms of fleet maintenance as well as the opportunity to tap into a robust market that is ripe for the entry of a new LCC.”
He observed that air traffic was expected to grow at a slower annual rate of 5.1 per cent over the next 20 years based on broad projections for global aviation, compared with air travel within the Asia Pacific region which is expected to grow by 6.7 per cent.
“In fact, the Asia-Pacific region accounts for 34 per cent of global passenger traffic and this is expected to almost triple from 779.6 million in 2010 to over 2.2 billion in 2030, with Malaysia expected to account for 200 million passengers.”
The prime minister said the entry of this new airline was timely and necessary to meet the growing market demands, both for low cost flights and maximum connectivity across the region especially between different cities in Malaysia and various parts of Indonesia.
“We must be ready to tap into this lucrative market and readiness means adapting and making changes today for the market conditions we anticipate tomorrow.”
Lion Air is currently Indonesia’s largest privately-run airline, capturing a domestic market share of approximately 45 per cent.
Posted on September 12, 2012, Wednesday
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| Pulau Triso lokasi terakhir helikopter milik seorang ahli korporat yang terhempas dalam perjalanan ke Nangga Merit, Kapit |
DCA siasat sama ada pesawat bawa peralatan diwajibkan
Kuching: Siasatan Jabatan Penerbangan Awam (DCA) terhadap helikopter Eurocopter EC120 yang mengorbankan tiga nyawa Jumaat lalu, menjurus kepada sama ada helikopter itu membawa jaket keselamatan atau tidak. Ia disebabkan ketiga-tiga mangsa nahas di muara Sungai Lupar-Sungai Lingga itu, tidak memakai jaket keselamatan termasuk juruterbangnya, Rico Stiger yang dijumpai selamat.
Sumber industri penerbangan memberitahu BH, mandatori bagi semua pesawat di negara ini yang terbang melalui perairan atau dekat dengan perairan, menyediakan jaket keselamatan mencukupi dalam pesawat.
Katanya, ia penting bagi menghadapi kemungkinan pesawat berkenaan perlu melakukan pendaratan cemas di atas air.
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| Anggota keluarga mengangkat jenazah Siti Khuzaimah untuk dikebumikan Tanah Perkuburan Islam Gita, di Kuching, semalam |
Ketiga-tiga mereka disahkan anggota keluarga, tidak pandai berenang.
Pengarah DCA Sarawak, Ling Swee Ing yang dihubungi tidak dapat memberikan jawapan kepada persoalan sama ada helikopter berkenaan menyediakan jaket keselamatan atau tidak.
Katanya, beliau juga tidak dapat memberi komen kerana hanya pihak di ibu pejabat Kuala Lumpur boleh berbuat demikian.
Pemilik Eurocopter EC120 Datuk Sng Chee Hua yang ditemui semalam enggan mengulas sama ada helikopter itu ada membawa jaket keselamatan atau tidak.
Sementara itu, anggota keluarga terdekat Siti Khuzaimah Annuar, 27, mempersoalkan mungkin Khuzaimah dan dua lagi mangsa mungkin selamat jika memakai jaket keselamatan.
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| The artist impression of KLIA2 |
It is disturbing for a significant shareholder of one of the world’s most popular low cost carrier, who is also the most arrogant and manipulative airline personality to take airport GLC MAHB down in his own blog. Especially after his newly appointed CEO Aireen Omar did exactly that so well in her first month in office and Fernandes already got The Star doing half of his battles via the mainstream media instead through proper channels, all these while.
Malaysians need to know.
First of all, KLIA2 is about 250,000 sq metres of state of the art low cost carrier terminal in the world, with an annex mall for passengers’ needs and comfort. The RM 4 billion construction would have 68 aerobridges, a brand new air control tower, more tarmac spaces for aircraft parking space and a third 4,000 metres runaway. There would be ample parking spaces and an attached integrated transportation terminal for coaches, taxis and a station for the ERL extended service, that would run from KL Sentral via Main Terminal Building, KLIA.
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| Air Asia Campaign against MAHB |
It is designed to cater up to 45 million passengers per annum, in comfort, efficiency, security and somewhat, style. And that is at the cost of RM 1,500.00 psf.
Secondly, that is the lowest cost of developing and constructing such an airport facility. If only Fernandes could be so fair and professional enough to make an honest comparison to any airports with equivalent facility that has just been built or in the process of being built. Just for comparison, the 350,000 sq metres Terminal 5 in London Heathrow was built at a cost of £4.2 billion. That is without the cost of a third runaway and second air control tower. Squared of to KLIA’ 2′s size, that is £ 3 billion or in today’s exchange rate, RM 15 billion, which is about RM 4,000 psf. Chek Lap Kok’s intention for a third runaway is estimated to cost USD 1 billion.
This appeared on Star Biz as part of the English daily to help Fernandes campaign against MAHB
Thirdly, let us remind about how Fernandes during the ‘Level Four Boys’ dark-reign of PM ‘Flip-Flop’ Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s weak administration (coincidentally, which provided so much room and opportunity for AirAsia to grow to what it is today at the expense of national carrier Malaysia Airlines with specific instructions such as the ‘Airline Rationalisation Plan’ of May 2006), rode on Sime Darby for the ‘Labu Airport Project’.
Resilience and perseverance, the bloggers were lucky to manage to get the project shot down.
Fourthly, AirAsia was actually an integral part of the working committee for the development of KLIA 2. However, Fernandes played ‘rough and extremely unfair’ to use the media which include mainstream media to go after MAHB when his whims and fancies didn’t actually go how he wanted. That is probably include getting rid of MAHB MD Tan Sri Bashir Ahmad Abdul Majid and got himself in, just like how he got Khazanah Holdings Bhd. for the eight-and-three-quarter-months short lived and now miserably failed ‘Malaysia Airlines-AirAsia shareswap’.
Fifthly, Malaysians needed to be reminded that the moment Fernandes got his greedy hands into Malaysia Airlines, he started to devour into the national carrier. A month after his entrance into Malaysia Airlines BOD and as a member of the Exco, he got the national carrier to be suckered of RM 18 million for sponsorship of his private venture into the bottom rung of Barclays Premier League, Queen’s Park Rangers.
The AirAsia campaign against MAHB
Sixth point, is Fernandes actually campaigned for Malaysian public to go against MAHB increase on the airport tax last December, short of starting an ‘Airport Spring’. In fact, they actually smeared MAHB. They even got most popular English daily The Star to do part of their dirty work.
Source: Bigdog
Employers: Fresh graduates not suitable and are ‘liabilities’
By P. ARUNA
aruna@thestar.com.my
KUALA LUMPUR: Employers consider fresh graduates liabilities as many require additional training before they can perform.
Companies would rather hire experienced and skilled professionals who can bring instant returns, said Kelly Services marketing director for Singapore and Malaysia Jeannie Khoo.
She said employers felt many fresh graduates lacked communication skills and had poor English and needed to improve before they could add value to the business.
“This means additional costs for the company. Employers are looking for people who can hit the ground running,” she said after launching the Kelly Services Professional and Technical Salary Guide 2012 here yesterday.
Khoo said the 27 polytechnics in the country generated thousands of skilled workers every year but many of them needed to be retrained by their employers.
She advised fresh graduates to be less choosy and to have realistic expectations on salary and remuneration.
“You are unlikely to earn RM3,000 in your first job.
“Be willing to learn. If you are offered an internship, take it,” she said.
Kelly Services Asia Pacific head of professional and technical, Mark Sparrow, said demand was growing for professionals with experience and niche skills.
He said there was a global shortage of talent in specialised areas of engineering, accountancy, technology and financial services.
“There is high demand for engineers, especially in the Asia-Pacific region, such as Indonesia and Thailand which are rebuilding their cities following natural disasters,” he said.
He added the “hot jobs” in Malaysia included risk management specialists, construction and environment engineers, software development specialists and marketing and sales personnel who are fluent in English.
By P. ARUNA
aruna@thestar.com.my
KUALA LUMPUR: Employers consider fresh graduates liabilities as many require additional training before they can perform.
Companies would rather hire experienced and skilled professionals who can bring instant returns, said Kelly Services marketing director for Singapore and Malaysia Jeannie Khoo.
She said employers felt many fresh graduates lacked communication skills and had poor English and needed to improve before they could add value to the business.
“This means additional costs for the company. Employers are looking for people who can hit the ground running,” she said after launching the Kelly Services Professional and Technical Salary Guide 2012 here yesterday.
Khoo said the 27 polytechnics in the country generated thousands of skilled workers every year but many of them needed to be retrained by their employers.
She advised fresh graduates to be less choosy and to have realistic expectations on salary and remuneration.
“You are unlikely to earn RM3,000 in your first job.
“Be willing to learn. If you are offered an internship, take it,” she said.
Kelly Services Asia Pacific head of professional and technical, Mark Sparrow, said demand was growing for professionals with experience and niche skills.
He said there was a global shortage of talent in specialised areas of engineering, accountancy, technology and financial services.
“There is high demand for engineers, especially in the Asia-Pacific region, such as Indonesia and Thailand which are rebuilding their cities following natural disasters,” he said.
He added the “hot jobs” in Malaysia included risk management specialists, construction and environment engineers, software development specialists and marketing and sales personnel who are fluent in English.
Editor: Impliedly Air Asia is cheating the public and Tony Fernandes is giving the nation a bad name.
SYDNEY — AirAsia was slapped with a lawsuit by Australian regulators accusing the Asian budget carrier of failing to disclose the full price of fares on its website.
The Malaysia-based airline, which flies international services out of Australia from the Gold Coast, Melbourne and Perth, with Sydney to be added from April, was named in documents lodged at the Federal Court in Melbourne on Tuesday.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, the country's consumer watchdog, claims some fares sold on AirAsia's website do not display prices inclusive of all taxes, duties, fees and other charges.
"Businesses that choose to advertise a part of the price of a particular product or service must also prominently specify a single total price," it said in a media release.
The regulator alleged the fares relate to flights from Melbourne to cities including London, New Delhi, and Hangzhou in China, from the Gold Coast to Ho Chi Minh City and from Perth to places such as Taipei and Phuket in Thailand.
The matter is listed to be heard on March 2 with the watchdog seeking an injunction "to restrain AirAsia from engaging in misleading conduct in the future".
It also wants a court order "that AirAsia publish corrective notices on its websites regarding the conduct".
AirAsia could not immediately be reached for comment. - AFP
SYDNEY — AirAsia was slapped with a lawsuit by Australian regulators accusing the Asian budget carrier of failing to disclose the full price of fares on its website.
The Malaysia-based airline, which flies international services out of Australia from the Gold Coast, Melbourne and Perth, with Sydney to be added from April, was named in documents lodged at the Federal Court in Melbourne on Tuesday.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, the country's consumer watchdog, claims some fares sold on AirAsia's website do not display prices inclusive of all taxes, duties, fees and other charges.
"Businesses that choose to advertise a part of the price of a particular product or service must also prominently specify a single total price," it said in a media release.
The regulator alleged the fares relate to flights from Melbourne to cities including London, New Delhi, and Hangzhou in China, from the Gold Coast to Ho Chi Minh City and from Perth to places such as Taipei and Phuket in Thailand.
The matter is listed to be heard on March 2 with the watchdog seeking an injunction "to restrain AirAsia from engaging in misleading conduct in the future".
It also wants a court order "that AirAsia publish corrective notices on its websites regarding the conduct".
AirAsia could not immediately be reached for comment. - AFP
SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Malaysian long-haul budget carrier AirAsia X announced plans to scrap unprofitable routes to Europe and India as it prepares for a planned flotation, citing weak demand and a row over European Union emissions charges.
The decision to scale back will affect flights to Mumbai from January, while services to New Delhi, London and Paris will cease in March.
AirAsia X said customers who hold bookings after these dates would be offered an alternative travel option at no additional cost.
"AirAsia X will concentrate capacity in our core markets of Australasia, China, Taiwan, Japan and Korea," the carrier said.
Writing on Twitter, Chief Executive Azran Osman-Rani blamed the decision on a "weak European economy/reduced demand, continued high fuel prices and high airport and government taxes including 1 Jan 2012 carbon tax."
The airline is one of the first to cut routes after the European Union imposed a system of trading carbon emissions on airlines from the start of the year, drawing protests from China and the United States and fuelling talk of a carbon trade war.
But the airline has also acknowledged problems in making money on those routes as the European economic crisis affects consumer spending, while in India it complains of high airport costs and a restrictive visa system hindering tourism.
India is meanwhile drawing up plans to allow foreign airlines to invest in its hard-pressed airline sector, a prospect which drove up shares in several airlines on Wednesday.
"We will refocus on core markets where we have sufficient scale, more benign fees, and are profitable. Will announce new routes soon," the executive said.
The changes end weeks of speculation over the future of the routes and a debate over the viability of the low-cost airline model, which transformed the choices available for short and medium trips, on long distances served by big network carriers.
The decision is also the latest sign of steadily growing pressure on airlines stemming from Europe's debt crisis.
French flag carrier Air France-KLM , which serves Malaysia from its Amsterdam hub, was due to announce the first step in a two-part restructuring plan later on Thursday, with the prospect of savings pushing its shares up almost 6 percent.
AirAsia X was founded by Malaysian tycoon Tony Fernandes who also runs AirAsia Bhd , one of the world's largest short-haul low-cost carriers, which is run as a separate entity.
The long-haul unit is looking to boost profitability ahead of its own share listing tentatively planned for this year.
Analysts expect the route changes to be positive for flag carrier Malaysian Airline System (MAS) , which buried the hatchet and agreed a tie-up with rival AirAsia last year.
The withdrawal from London and Paris also means AirAsia X will compete more directly with Singapore Airlines' new long-haul subsidiary Scoot, which will kick off its maiden flight to Sydney in the first half of 2012.
Fernandes said through his Twitter account that AirAsia would continue to fly to India.
AirAsia X plans to fly to Jeddah and add more flights to Korea, Japan, Australia and China, he said.
(Additional reporting by Tim Hepher; Editing by Kevin Lim and Helen Massy-Beresford)
The decision to scale back will affect flights to Mumbai from January, while services to New Delhi, London and Paris will cease in March.
AirAsia X said customers who hold bookings after these dates would be offered an alternative travel option at no additional cost.
"AirAsia X will concentrate capacity in our core markets of Australasia, China, Taiwan, Japan and Korea," the carrier said.
Writing on Twitter, Chief Executive Azran Osman-Rani blamed the decision on a "weak European economy/reduced demand, continued high fuel prices and high airport and government taxes including 1 Jan 2012 carbon tax."
The airline is one of the first to cut routes after the European Union imposed a system of trading carbon emissions on airlines from the start of the year, drawing protests from China and the United States and fuelling talk of a carbon trade war.
But the airline has also acknowledged problems in making money on those routes as the European economic crisis affects consumer spending, while in India it complains of high airport costs and a restrictive visa system hindering tourism.
India is meanwhile drawing up plans to allow foreign airlines to invest in its hard-pressed airline sector, a prospect which drove up shares in several airlines on Wednesday.
"We will refocus on core markets where we have sufficient scale, more benign fees, and are profitable. Will announce new routes soon," the executive said.
The changes end weeks of speculation over the future of the routes and a debate over the viability of the low-cost airline model, which transformed the choices available for short and medium trips, on long distances served by big network carriers.
The decision is also the latest sign of steadily growing pressure on airlines stemming from Europe's debt crisis.
French flag carrier Air France-KLM , which serves Malaysia from its Amsterdam hub, was due to announce the first step in a two-part restructuring plan later on Thursday, with the prospect of savings pushing its shares up almost 6 percent.
AirAsia X was founded by Malaysian tycoon Tony Fernandes who also runs AirAsia Bhd , one of the world's largest short-haul low-cost carriers, which is run as a separate entity.
The long-haul unit is looking to boost profitability ahead of its own share listing tentatively planned for this year.
Analysts expect the route changes to be positive for flag carrier Malaysian Airline System (MAS) , which buried the hatchet and agreed a tie-up with rival AirAsia last year.
The withdrawal from London and Paris also means AirAsia X will compete more directly with Singapore Airlines' new long-haul subsidiary Scoot, which will kick off its maiden flight to Sydney in the first half of 2012.
Fernandes said through his Twitter account that AirAsia would continue to fly to India.
AirAsia X plans to fly to Jeddah and add more flights to Korea, Japan, Australia and China, he said.
(Additional reporting by Tim Hepher; Editing by Kevin Lim and Helen Massy-Beresford)
By Yang Berhormat Wee Chee Keong, Ahli Parlimen Bukit Bintang
The extra charges for international flight for "The No Frills Airline"
Please look at the list of ancillary charges amounting to RM50 that a passenger had to pay for domestic and international travel by AirAsia not to mention the other charges in the two tables above. Traveller had to pay for “CONVENIENCE FEE”,“MANUAL CHECK IN CHARGE” and “FUEL SURCHARGE”. The Convenience Fee must be for the used of toilets in the airport and the airport facilities provided by MAHB! AirAsia charged its passenger but refuses to pay for facilities provided by MAHB.AirAsia charges its passengers for almost everything even for use of wheel chair by the elderly and disabled unlike MAS and other airlines.
I thought that Tan Sri Tony Fernandes has said that AirAsia does not impose fuel surcharge. But it does. I wonder whether AirAsia has sought the approval of the Ministry of Transport for all these ancillary charges imposed. Most probably not.
I will definitely bring the above unreasonable charges to the attention of Parliament so that the Minister of Transport can take the appropriate actions to stop the unfair practices of AirAsia from imposing unreasonable charges for basic facilities in modern airport.I will also demand for answers why a private limited company like AirAsia X Sdn Bhd, which was partially owned by foreigners, was granted with the traffic rights to 32 international destinations but it only flies to 13 destinations.
No wonder Tan Sri Tony Fernandes doesn’t want aerobridges in KLIA-2 so that AirAsia can carry on charging the “Convenience Fee”, for the used of wheel chairs and etc.
Source: Muda Tengah
Hey, slightly more than 30 people is a good start for future Open House. See you tomorrow evening. Last minutes entry are welcome....
1. Dr Bidin Chee
2. Idris Bohari
3. Awang Sahmat
4. AB Puteh
5. Hayati Nafri
6. Hafiza Tepoli
7. Saftuyah Jamail
8. Ramlah Jais
9. Lena Mohidden
10. Zakiah Ghani
11. Soo Kee Man (Sukiman)
12. Zaidi Ahmad
13. Othman Ahmat
14. Junaidi Arabi
15. Awg Khalid
16. Hj Khalid Ibrahim
17. Wan Ismail Sanusi
18. Hashimah Sulaiman
19. Nik Abdul Rahman (Nas Ismadi)
20. Khairudin Jajol
21. Abang Iskandar Muas
22. Fauzi Azahari
23. Haji Sulaiman Abdul Hamid plus 1
24. Nurhayati Mortadza
25. Haron Hossen
26. Aziz Balia
27. Ahmad Saifi
28. Omarali Matjais
29. Mohd Maley bd Hamid
30. Prof Dr Jamil Hamali
31. Affendi Sahat
32. Nasaruddin Shebli
33. Hajjah Norlaila
34. Siti Rahaidah
35. Eda Edan
36. Abdul Malek Abdullah
37. Tun @ Sharifah Fatimah
38. Roslan Yakup
39. Wa Omar
1. Dr Bidin Chee
2. Idris Bohari
3. Awang Sahmat
4. AB Puteh
5. Hayati Nafri
6. Hafiza Tepoli
7. Saftuyah Jamail
8. Ramlah Jais
9. Lena Mohidden
10. Zakiah Ghani
11. Soo Kee Man (Sukiman)
12. Zaidi Ahmad
13. Othman Ahmat
14. Junaidi Arabi
15. Awg Khalid
16. Hj Khalid Ibrahim
17. Wan Ismail Sanusi
18. Hashimah Sulaiman
19. Nik Abdul Rahman (Nas Ismadi)
20. Khairudin Jajol
21. Abang Iskandar Muas
22. Fauzi Azahari
23. Haji Sulaiman Abdul Hamid plus 1
24. Nurhayati Mortadza
25. Haron Hossen
26. Aziz Balia
27. Ahmad Saifi
28. Omarali Matjais
29. Mohd Maley bd Hamid
30. Prof Dr Jamil Hamali
31. Affendi Sahat
32. Nasaruddin Shebli
33. Hajjah Norlaila
34. Siti Rahaidah
35. Eda Edan
36. Abdul Malek Abdullah
37. Tun @ Sharifah Fatimah
38. Roslan Yakup
39. Wa Omar
Sometimes January 2010, I have a chance to see personally Kanang Anak Langkau, which prior to this I only read about him from papers and reading a book about his heroic story.
BANGGA.... PW 1 (B) Temenggong Kanang anak Langkau (depan) bersama barisan pahlawan tentera vateren Sarawak yang telah menerima Panglima Gagah Berani (P.G.B) diberi penghargaan sempena istiadat sambutan Hari Pahlawan di perkarangan Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) di Kuching, Ahad. Kanang yang dilahirkan pada 1945 dan menyertai 'Sarawak Rangers' sebagai 'Iban Trackers' pada 21 April 1962 itu merupakan satu-satunya penerima anugerah Seri Pahlawan Gagah Perkasa (S.P) iaitu anugerah tertinggi persekutuan dan keberanian di dalam negara yang masih hidup hingga sekarang. - Foto BERNAMA
Main headline of Borneo Post July 5, 2011 @ Tuesday, read “Smuggling root cause of shortage”. The report was refering to the shortage of gas cylinder in the state of Sarawak. Minister of Land Development, Tan Sri Dr James Jemut Masing said he based his suspicion on recent Indonesian news report. One of the newspaper carried a headline, ’Warga Perbatasan Pilih tabung Gas Malaysia” The cause of the shortage brought much problems and a consumer has no choice but to pay more in the black market.
Dr James put it as “his suspicion” and the paper quoted it as ‘might have been smuggled”, which to me is very funny. As a layman, I am never at all suspicious that the subject-matter has been smuggled. Sometimes in March 2010, I was at Tebedu Custom checkpoint and saw a pick-up loaded with goods without declaration or checking by the custom officer. The driver did stop and handed the officer a piece of paper and drove off to the other side.
Out of curiosity, I asked the officer about the subject-matter and the reply was: Gula! Although I did not ask further, he continued to say ‘Diorang ini ada lesen’. On my way to Sintang, I keep on wondering about the ‘license to export subsidised sugar to Indonesia’.
Upon reaching Sanggau Town, we ate at one of the moderate restaurant in front of the hospital. Suspecting we were Malaysian, the operator, an ‘ibu’ around the age of 40 spoke to us fondly of Malaysia especially about the cleanliness of Kuching City. When enquired where they source the sugar , he reply was, ‘Ibu ngak pernah beli gula Indonesia, gula dari Mala(y)sia lebih murah dan senang bangat dapat!” was the reply.
Prior to reaching Sanggau, we stopped at Balai Karangan for food at one of the restaurant near a bank. And there was a Malaysian truck full of Shell gas cylinder parked just across where we enjoy our food.
Why our border is so porous? These two items were heavily subsidized by the government for the Malaysian and yet the local consumers deprived of the items. I struggle to understand the effectiveness of our enforcement as we have enough rules and regulations to stop all these spillage.
At the end, I said to my self, if the government has no answer, the opposition must have solution.
Dr James put it as “his suspicion” and the paper quoted it as ‘might have been smuggled”, which to me is very funny. As a layman, I am never at all suspicious that the subject-matter has been smuggled. Sometimes in March 2010, I was at Tebedu Custom checkpoint and saw a pick-up loaded with goods without declaration or checking by the custom officer. The driver did stop and handed the officer a piece of paper and drove off to the other side.
Out of curiosity, I asked the officer about the subject-matter and the reply was: Gula! Although I did not ask further, he continued to say ‘Diorang ini ada lesen’. On my way to Sintang, I keep on wondering about the ‘license to export subsidised sugar to Indonesia’.
Upon reaching Sanggau Town, we ate at one of the moderate restaurant in front of the hospital. Suspecting we were Malaysian, the operator, an ‘ibu’ around the age of 40 spoke to us fondly of Malaysia especially about the cleanliness of Kuching City. When enquired where they source the sugar , he reply was, ‘Ibu ngak pernah beli gula Indonesia, gula dari Mala(y)sia lebih murah dan senang bangat dapat!” was the reply.
Prior to reaching Sanggau, we stopped at Balai Karangan for food at one of the restaurant near a bank. And there was a Malaysian truck full of Shell gas cylinder parked just across where we enjoy our food.
Why our border is so porous? These two items were heavily subsidized by the government for the Malaysian and yet the local consumers deprived of the items. I struggle to understand the effectiveness of our enforcement as we have enough rules and regulations to stop all these spillage.
At the end, I said to my self, if the government has no answer, the opposition must have solution.
Ask any woman what men want in a relationship, the obvious answer would be sex. Well, everyone knows what the men want, but what the women really want in a relationship: love or sex? Genetically and behaviorally, both men and women are programmed by nature for different purposes. It’s even said that men are prepared to love so that they can get sex from women, and women are prepared to have sex so that they would get love from men. Nature wants the male species to spread its seed as wider as possible, thus men seem to desire sex all the time so that they could spread their seeds. However, since the female of the species has to beget a child and rear it as a consequence of the sexual intercourse, she cannot have sex as freely as the male species do. Hence, by nature, since the female of the species has to bear the child, women are genetically programmed to look out for men who can provide both protection and care during pregnancy and childbirth, and nurture her offspring thereafter. Therefore, the female has to be selective about choosing the best among the available male partners with quality seed and who could also protect her and the offspring from intruders. This is said to be the main reason why men want more sex and women want more admirers and protectors. This has made some to generalize that women are more interested in love and less interested in sex.
However, such statements often prove to be oversimplification of a complex issue that depends upon extremely personal interest of a particular individual. Even in the case of men, it’d be oversimplification to say that men always feel like having sex. Yet in the majority of the cases, while a man gets ready for sex even without any feeling of love or intimacy, most women say that they need to feel desired or get more intimacy in their relationship before they are prepared for sex. Even when women involve themselves in the sexual intercourse, they complain that they could not reach orgasm since they were unable to feel emotionally connected with their partners during the intercourse. Relationship experts often advise men not to rush for intercourse, and engage in a slow, gentle and relaxed foreplay until the women are sufficiently aroused.
It’s true that women are fundamentally different than the men in their priorities in the relationship. It’s also true that in most of the cases, women expect men to take initiative and court them before getting close to them emotionally and physically. Moreover, unlike men who would be happy to have a causal sexual encounter, women generally seem to prefer a long lasting relationship. Besides, given opportunity, women choose their mate who they consider can provide the best possible protection and security. Therefore, women certainly want their relationship to solidify through some sort of bonding such as marriage, marriage working as a sort of glue to make relationship last for a long time. Women even report that they engage in sexual activity with their partner even when they do not feel like doing it fearing that their partner might lose interest and respect for them if they do not comply to have sex. Still, it would be wrong to assume that women are less interested in sex.
A recent poll conducted by a popular Television Channel revealed that women want and think about sex more than they admit to. As women are becoming more open regarding their sexuality, the new findings are sure to demystify the conventional opinion about female sexuality. Certainly, like in men, sexual preference among women varies from individual to individual, yet it has been established that women enjoying a fulfilling sexual encounter at least twice a week are happier in average. A Woman may be shy to openly express her sexual desires like men due to cultural or other factors, but deep down women are just as horny as men. Similarly, a very high percentage of women masturbate and watch porn than that has been believed. Some argue that even the rape and molestation cases by women cannot officially come on record because men find it ‘unmanly’ to report that they were sexually harassed by the women. Thus, by nature, women seem to desire sex as much as men do.
Some Tips for a Great Relationship and Sex:
Posted by nexuz on 1:29 AM
However, such statements often prove to be oversimplification of a complex issue that depends upon extremely personal interest of a particular individual. Even in the case of men, it’d be oversimplification to say that men always feel like having sex. Yet in the majority of the cases, while a man gets ready for sex even without any feeling of love or intimacy, most women say that they need to feel desired or get more intimacy in their relationship before they are prepared for sex. Even when women involve themselves in the sexual intercourse, they complain that they could not reach orgasm since they were unable to feel emotionally connected with their partners during the intercourse. Relationship experts often advise men not to rush for intercourse, and engage in a slow, gentle and relaxed foreplay until the women are sufficiently aroused.
It’s true that women are fundamentally different than the men in their priorities in the relationship. It’s also true that in most of the cases, women expect men to take initiative and court them before getting close to them emotionally and physically. Moreover, unlike men who would be happy to have a causal sexual encounter, women generally seem to prefer a long lasting relationship. Besides, given opportunity, women choose their mate who they consider can provide the best possible protection and security. Therefore, women certainly want their relationship to solidify through some sort of bonding such as marriage, marriage working as a sort of glue to make relationship last for a long time. Women even report that they engage in sexual activity with their partner even when they do not feel like doing it fearing that their partner might lose interest and respect for them if they do not comply to have sex. Still, it would be wrong to assume that women are less interested in sex.
A recent poll conducted by a popular Television Channel revealed that women want and think about sex more than they admit to. As women are becoming more open regarding their sexuality, the new findings are sure to demystify the conventional opinion about female sexuality. Certainly, like in men, sexual preference among women varies from individual to individual, yet it has been established that women enjoying a fulfilling sexual encounter at least twice a week are happier in average. A Woman may be shy to openly express her sexual desires like men due to cultural or other factors, but deep down women are just as horny as men. Similarly, a very high percentage of women masturbate and watch porn than that has been believed. Some argue that even the rape and molestation cases by women cannot officially come on record because men find it ‘unmanly’ to report that they were sexually harassed by the women. Thus, by nature, women seem to desire sex as much as men do.
Some Tips for a Great Relationship and Sex:
- First and foremost, women need to believe that their partner in interested in their total being, and not for sex only. The more a man makes a woman feel wanted by him, the more she will try to please him, sexually or otherwise.
- Communication plays a vital role between the partners, so much that if the partners do not communicate their feelings to each other, their health and ultimately their relationship would start to suffer.
- Women want some foreplay before they are prepared for sex. Hugging, kissing, and talking romance would turn on women for engaging in sex. Instead of repeating the same position day in and day out, it would be exciting to try some experimental, playful and even ‘dirty sex’.
Posted by nexuz on 1:29 AM
Balik ke asrama, saya terus bertanya kepada senior yang juga tidak dapat memberi jawapan yang boleh diterima oleh orang bukan Islam. Alasan yang lazim ialah ‘Agama kitani mengharamkan’ menyentuh dan memakan daging babi. Sehingga sekarang saya masih belum berkesempatan menerangkan fakta ini kepada rakan tadi. Mudah-mudahan beliau terbaca artikel ini dan mendapat kepuasan dari penjelasan seperti di bawah ini.
Di dalam Bible, Deutronomy 14:8 terdapat 3 kali larangan memakan daging khinzir (babi) dan salah satunya ialah: "And the Swine, because it divideth the Hoof, yet chewed not the Cud, ( partly digested food return to from the first stomach of Ruminants to the mouths for further Chewing ) it is UNCLEAN unto you; You shall not eat of their flesh, nor touch their dead Carcase.
(“Khinzir juga adalah kotor walaupun berkuku belah, tetapi ia tidak memamah baik. Jangan makan dagingnya dan jangan sentuh bangkainya”)
Untuk menguatkan lagi hujah di atas, Al Quran ada terkandung 4 larangan yang sama, salah satunya ialah: “Diharamkan bagimu (memakan) bangkai, darah, daging khinzir, daging haiwan yang disembelih atas nama selain Allah..” (Al Maidah 3).
Mengapa kedua-dua kitab mengharamkan memakan daging tersebut malah menyentuknya sekali? Ada tiga perkara asas yang boleh dibuktikan oleh sain terhadap daging binatang ini.
Pertama, Memakan daging khinzir mengundang banyak penyakit. Daging khinzir mengandungi sejumlah telur cacing parasit. Apabila seseorang memakan, telur itu akan masuk ke dalam usus dan menetas menjadi cacing parasit seperti cacing pita yang boleh memanjang sehingga berpuluh-puluh meter. Kemudian ia akan melepaskan telurnya yang akan memasuki aliran darah dan mampu sampai ke otak dan beberapa organ penting. Apabila memasuki otak, ia boleh menyebabkan kerosakan otak.Begitu jugalah dengan organ-organ yang lain.
Antara tanggapan yang salah oleh penggemar daging khinzir ialah apabila dagingnya dimasak dengan baik, telur-telur cacing parasit akan mati, namun satu kajian yang telah dijalankan di Amerika mendapati bahawa 22 daripada 24 pesakit yang dijangkiti telur cacing parasit mengatakan mereka telah memasak daging tersebut dengan betul. Jadi dapatlah disimpulkan disini suhu memasak yang biasa masih belum mampu untuk membunuh telur-telur cacing parasit di dalam daging khinzir.
Kedua, daging khinzir mengandungi lemak yang berlebihan. Tabiat memakan daging khinzir akan menyebabkan permakanan mempunyai lemak berlebihan pada badan. Lemak itu juga akan memendap pada saluran darah dan jika mendapan itu menebal, ia boleh mengakibatkan hipertensi dan serangan jantung.
Dan ketiga, Khinzir merupakan antara haiwan yang paling kotor. Contohnya, diperkampung dimana tidak terdapat tandas moden dan orang membuang najis secara terbuka, najis tersebut biasanya akan dimakan oleh Khinzir. Selain itu, Khinzir adalah satu-satunya binatang yang memakan najis sendiri serta najis khinzir yang lain. Ia juga membenarkan kawan-kawannya melakukan hubungan seks dengan pasangannya.
Dari huraian di atas, larangan Allah terhadap umat Islam adalah terbukti tepat, benar dan nyata.
