AirAsia has issued a long, rambling press release denying, decrying and otherwise obfuscating Airbus' admission that AirAsia, AirAsiaX and related parties were recipients of EUR 50 Million in bribes for aircraft purchase contacts.
It is now for Malaysia's Securities Commission to intervene and ensure the market is properly informed, about all AirAsia matters.
It is also for the Sports and Youth Minister Syed Saddiq to explain Tony Fernandes' appointment and retention as chairman, Malaysia Stadium Corporation (see stories below).
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NEWS
Syed Saddiq appoints Fernandes as M'sia Stadium Corporation chair
Corporate leader Tony Fernandes has been appointed as the Malaysia Stadium Corporation (PSM) chairperson effective today to replace Rozabil Abdul Rahman.
In a statement today, Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman said the appointment of Fernandes was timely.
The minister said Fernandes as a leading corporate figure could assist and improve the structure and operation of PSM as well as restoring the financial position of the statutory body which recorded a loss of RM11 million.
Syed Saddiq hoped the appointment would invigorate youth, sports, recreational and entertainment activities involving the various assets under PSM.
“His involvement and success in various commercial areas, including the air industry (AirAsia), entertainment (Warner Music), hotels (Tune Hotels) and broadcasting (The Apprentice Asia) are part of his achievements as the best candidate to hold the post.
“His entrepreneurial talent, creativity and leadership are outstanding and they are evident with the many awards he had won including the CEO of the Year and Entrepreneur of the Year,” Syed Saddiq said.
Fernandes is also no stranger to sports when he partly owned the Queen Park Rangers football club apart from being the founder of Formula 1 team, Caterham F1 Team.
"He is adept in the intricacies of international standard sports development and promotion.
"AirAsia's sponsorship of local sports such as AirAsia Badminton Academy as well as e-sports competitions proved he is passionate about raising the quality of sports in the country,” he said.
- Bernama
Syed Saddiq: Please don't label Tony Fernandes a 'traitor'
KUALA LUMPUR (May 11): Newly-elected member of parliament for Muar, Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman has urged Malaysians not to label Tan Sri Tony Fernandes a traitor for openly supporting Barisan Nasional because the AirAsia Group founder and chief executive officer had little option but to do so.
"Please Malaysia, don't label him as a pengkhianat (traitor)," Syed Saddiq, 25, said in an Instagram post today.
"[Fernandes] has helped us (Pakatan Harapan) from the start, but can't disclose it to the public due to the fear of repression. I leave it to the Malaysian people to judge," he added.
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According to Syed Saddiq, Fernandes "was pushed to a corner where he had to openly declare his support for the then ruling government".
"He had to take a video and his staffs (sic) had to change their uniforms. Pictures of the whole event were taken without the right context," said Syed Saddiq.
Fernandes had drawn flak from netizens after he uploaded a video attributing AirAsia's success to the BN government's policies, and one of its aircraft livery repainted with the BN's #HebatkanNegaraKu theme.
Currently the youth chief of the Malaysian United Indigenous Party or Pribumi, Syed Saddiq said Fernandes was among the first persons that came to the aid of former deputy prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who was "punished for speaking truth to power".
Furthermore, he revealed that Fernandes had stood his ground and withstood the pressure to fire Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz after the latter spoke openly against Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
A strong critic of Najib, Rafidah is currently non-executive chairman of AirAsia X Bhd.
"He (Fernandes) was once again a hero when AirAsia offered discounted flights and added flights during the election period," Syed Saddiq stressed, noting the initiative had infuriated some people in Najib's circle.
"It became worse when Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal's team uploaded a poster thanking this move as it meant that more Parti Warisan Sabah supporters can fly back home to vote," he said.
Despite the attack, Syed Saddiq said Fernandes remained vigilant.
"Those actions came with a cost and he (Fernandes) has to pay for it," he added.
Syed Saddiq said the reason he is sharing this was because he could not stand seeing "a hero" wrongfully accused.
"I couldn't share it (the story of Fernandes) before because we were imprisoned by the politics of fear. Activists, politicians and businessmen who were not in line with the ruling party's ideology were threatened and pushed to a corner.
"I had to keep it a secret, but in this new era, an era where your right to speak is being uphold, it is time for change," he said.
Going forward, Syed Saddiq said the new Pakatan Harapan-led government will ensure that a citizen's right to openly criticise the government will be guaranteed.
"You can openly endorse opposition parties without the fear of being persecuted.
"We want a strong opposition. So businessmen, feel free to support any side. We are now living in a new Malaysia," he said.
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