Updates at at 10:45 am on 8-9-2012: On 7-8-20122 MAS has made an announcement to Bursa KL that Datuk Rohana Rozhan of ASTRO has resigned from MAS due to “other work commitments”, in HERE.
En Al-Ishal Ishak, the talented VP for Marketing and Promotion of MAS, has sent out an e-mail stating amongst other things that on 22-5-2012 the Board of Directors has approved the MAS re-banding, new corporate identity and new livery of MAS, in HERE.
The said e-mail was evident of damage control and also to justify the decisions made by a few people in the top management. They were trying to show to MAS staffs and Malaysians that their decisions have received the blessing of the Board of Directors of MAS.
The duties of the Board of Directors of MAS are as follows:
- Determine the company’s vision and mission to guide and set the pace for its current operations and future development;
- Determine the values to be promoted throughout the company;
- Determine and review company goals;
- Determine company policies;
- Determine the company’s vision and mission to guide and set the pace for its current operations and future development;
- Determine the values to be promoted throughout the company;
- Determine and review company goals; and
- Determine company policies.
Re-branding and change of livery of any corporation are serious matter and should be discussed at Board meeting prior to appointing an advertising firm to carry on re-branding and changes to the livery. The MAS Board has miserable failed to carry out its above duties.
In the case of MAS, the Board should also seek Cabinet’s approval before proceeding with its decisions to re-brand, change of MAS corporate identity and change of its livery.
When a few people in the top management of MAS proceeded to commission Landor Associate to change the livery of MAS, they didn’t bother to seek the approval of MAS and/or the Cabinet. The said decision must have been made and implemented after the MAS-AirAsia share swap or latest in January 2012 because Landor Associate produced the design of the livery on 17-2012 and statement on this matter has been issued in March 2012.
The said e-mail by En Al-Ishal Ishak has clearly shown that MAS Board consists of incompetent people who were unable to play their role as members of the Board and their existence in MAS Board have been reduced to no more than a rubber stamp. No wonder after the MAS-AirAsia share swap, MAS was and still is directionless and bemused itself with several Business Plans and Organizational Charts!
Lets look at several of the members of MAS Board. Starting with the longest serving member, Tan Sri Azman Yahya of SCOMI and Symphony House fame, then Dato’ Rohana Rozhan of ASTRO fame, Tan Sri Tan Boon Seng of IJM fame and Mr David Lau Nai Pek of Axiata Group who were all appointed after the infamous share swap. At least Tan Sri Wan Azmi Wan Hamzah has self-respect by resigning after the shareholders heavily criticized the Board during MAS AGM on 21-6-2012.
None of the said members of MAS Board have aviation background and yet they saw it fit to hold on as members of MAS Board and made decisions affecting the future of MAS, our national carrier.
It clearly shows that they are not fit to remain as members of the Board of Directors of MAS, when on 22-5-2012 they blindly approved the decisions to re-brand and change the livery of MAS that cost MAS million of Ringgit at the time when MAS was supposedly to be BLEEDING!
We shouldn’t be surprised that they have also rubber stamped the decision to sponsor QPR, which Tan Sri Tony Fernandes of AirAsia/AirAsia X has substantial interest, that cost MAS more than RM10 million.
They are also holding executive positions in other public listed companies except Mr David Lau Nai Pek. It will not be unreasonable to assume that they have no time for MAS and even if they have the time, they do not have the required experience to contribute.
Not only they have failed to take drastic= actions against those culprits for commissioning of the re-branding, change of corporate identity and livery of MAS, they allowed themselves to be reduced to a mere rubber stamp on 22-5-2012.
In view of the mess and ill thought out decisions that have been made by the top management of MAS and them after the said share swap, they should take the honourable step to tender their resignations like what Tan Sri Wan Azmi Wan Hamzah did.
