“Best Person for the Job” to tackle low morale in MAS
Parliament 19.10.05 (6)
The MP for Arau Dato’ Seri Diraja Syed Razlan ibni Syed Putera Jamalullail (BN) took the Deputy Transport Minister, Tengku Azlan to task over the MAS appointment of a Canadian woman, its Toronto-based sales manager, Barbara Dirnberger as MAS area manager for Thailand.
This was on Wednesday night during the winding-up of Tengku Azlan on behalf of the Transport Ministry in the 2006 Budget debate in Parliament.
Syed Razlan wanted to know why after 33 years, MAS does not have a Malaysian of equal or even higher standing to fill the post. He said that in the 80s, when MAS appointed a Dutch to be area manager in the Benelux countries (Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg), it was understandable because of “localization” considerations at the time.
But when MAS appointed an official from Canada to Bangkok, she becomes an expatriate officer requiring MAS to pay overseas allowances, Canadian salary scale, retirement at 65, compliance with Canadian labour law, provision of housing, education for her children, company car, etc. The difference in income tax between Canada and Thailand will be paid by MAS. If a Malaysian is posted, the difference in income tax between Malaysia and Thailand will be very little.
Rebutting Tengku Azlan’s explanation that Barbara was appointed because of her long-service record in MAS of over 10 years, Syed Razlan questioned her qualifications to be appointed Area Manager for Bangkok with numerous landings and many visitors from the public and private sector, as compared to her position as Sales Manager with a three-person office in Toronto which has no landing rights for Malaysia.
Syed Raslan said it would appear that there are no Malaysians to hold the Malaysian flag, arguing that Barbara could be the No. 2 or 3 in Bangkok because of her experience, as the Area Manager should be a Malaysian, regardless of race.
When Tengku Azlan said he would forward Syed Raslan’s views to MAS, I intervened to ask whether the Deputy Minister agreed that regardless of circumstances, a Malaysian must head the MAS office in Thailand.
I pointed out that this was not in consonance with the national goal of attaining international competitiveness. Referring to the Japanese automotive company Nissan which has a Brazilian-born, French-educated son of Lebanese parents, Carlos Ghosn as its very successful chief executive officer, I called for a “global mind” and not an excessively “nationalistic mind” to embrace the concept of “The best man for the job” to face the challenges of globalization.
I asked the Deputy Minister whether he agreed that if there was a Malaysian qualified for the job, he must be given priority; otherwise, we must be prepared to appoint the “best man in the world” for the job in the national interest.
Tengku Azlan’s reply was that “before he agrees, he must first refer the matter to MAS”!
Earlier, I had asked Tengku Azlan (i) whether he was aware of the low morale of the MAS staff (illustrated by spates of resignations such as the pilots) after various disastrous experiments of ownership and management, such as its privatization to benefit one individual and not the national carrier followed by the rescue of MAS through cut-throat buy-back pricing which nationalizes MAS’ colossal losses; and (ii) whether meritocracy for all staff appointments and promotions would be adopted to lift the low morale of MAS staff to restore and enhance their commitment and professionalism.
There was no satisfactory answer from Tengku Azlan who could only ask for patience until MAS re-organisation has taken place under a new management.
The MP for Arau Dato’ Seri Diraja Syed Razlan ibni Syed Putera Jamalullail (BN) took the Deputy Transport Minister, Tengku Azlan to task over the MAS appointment of a Canadian woman, its Toronto-based sales manager, Barbara Dirnberger as MAS area manager for Thailand.This was on Wednesday night during the winding-up of Tengku Azlan on behalf of the Transport Ministry in the 2006 Budget debate in Parliament.
Syed Razlan wanted to know why after 33 years, MAS does not have a Malaysian of equal or even higher standing to fill the post. He said that in the 80s, when MAS appointed a Dutch to be area manager in the Benelux countries (Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg), it was understandable because of “localization” considerations at the time.
But when MAS appointed an official from Canada to Bangkok, she becomes an expatriate officer requiring MAS to pay overseas allowances, Canadian salary scale, retirement at 65, compliance with Canadian labour law, provision of housing, education for her children, company car, etc. The difference in income tax between Canada and Thailand will be paid by MAS. If a Malaysian is posted, the difference in income tax between Malaysia and Thailand will be very little.
Rebutting Tengku Azlan’s explanation that Barbara was appointed because of her long-service record in MAS of over 10 years, Syed Razlan questioned her qualifications to be appointed Area Manager for Bangkok with numerous landings and many visitors from the public and private sector, as compared to her position as Sales Manager with a three-person office in Toronto which has no landing rights for Malaysia.
Syed Raslan said it would appear that there are no Malaysians to hold the Malaysian flag, arguing that Barbara could be the No. 2 or 3 in Bangkok because of her experience, as the Area Manager should be a Malaysian, regardless of race.
When Tengku Azlan said he would forward Syed Raslan’s views to MAS, I intervened to ask whether the Deputy Minister agreed that regardless of circumstances, a Malaysian must head the MAS office in Thailand.
I pointed out that this was not in consonance with the national goal of attaining international competitiveness. Referring to the Japanese automotive company Nissan which has a Brazilian-born, French-educated son of Lebanese parents, Carlos Ghosn as its very successful chief executive officer, I called for a “global mind” and not an excessively “nationalistic mind” to embrace the concept of “The best man for the job” to face the challenges of globalization.
I asked the Deputy Minister whether he agreed that if there was a Malaysian qualified for the job, he must be given priority; otherwise, we must be prepared to appoint the “best man in the world” for the job in the national interest.
Tengku Azlan’s reply was that “before he agrees, he must first refer the matter to MAS”!
Earlier, I had asked Tengku Azlan (i) whether he was aware of the low morale of the MAS staff (illustrated by spates of resignations such as the pilots) after various disastrous experiments of ownership and management, such as its privatization to benefit one individual and not the national carrier followed by the rescue of MAS through cut-throat buy-back pricing which nationalizes MAS’ colossal losses; and (ii) whether meritocracy for all staff appointments and promotions would be adopted to lift the low morale of MAS staff to restore and enhance their commitment and professionalism.
There was no satisfactory answer from Tengku Azlan who could only ask for patience until MAS re-organisation has taken place under a new management.
<< Home