To compare Tony Fernandez to Idris Jala is like comparing a mangosteen to a “ciku”!

Iqbal Abd Ghaffar

While scanning through my favourite non-biased free online paper, my eyes were immediately fixated to a news headline that was screaming for my attention.

It read “PAS says Tony Fernandes better than Idris Jala.”  This piece of news written by Shazwan Mustafa Kamal was interesting because PAS’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.”

They claimed what!? Idris Jala had no record of outstanding job performance in his previsou job?? I beg to differ!

Here would be my reply to Datuk HajI Mahfuz Omar and Datuk Sallehuddin Ayub.

Dear Datuk Haji Mahfuz Omar and Datuk Sallehuddin Ayub ,

First of all, your remarks about Idris Jala’s past performance before joining MAS is indespicable. You have grossly understated his ability. Talk to any of his colleagues and bosses in Royal Dutch Shell that he has served for over 20 years and you will know that he has been an excellent leader.

His greatest strength is in business turnarounds and he has successfully demonstrated and proven this with turning around the Shell Gas company in Sri Lanka. It had been operating at a loss before he stepped in. He was tasked to turn the company around, and he successfully did so in a few years. There are many more successful business turnarounds which he has delivered throughout his high flying career in Shell.

To compare Tony Fernandez to Idris Jala is like comparing a mangosteen to a “ciku”!

Idris was appointed to change and make a mammoth company full of complacency, beaurocracy, and festered with cronies and corruption that was driven by a GLC mentality profitable.

Whereas Tony Fernandez bought over an unknown AirAsia from DRB Hicom (of which was also making a loss) and made it into a profitable airline making him very wealthy in that process.

Idris Jala was handpicked by the government and tasked to make a GLC profitable of where he does not own major or minor stake in the company, while Tony Fernandzs is a business man who (with a couple of his friends) bought over AirAsia and had no choice but to make it profitable or else he’ll go bankrupt!

Now fellow VP’s of PAS, get your facts straight before lambasting and looking down upon an individual which you know little or nothing off. Please stop playing petty politics just to gain cheap political mileage. I think a large majority of Malaysians would disagree with your “hit below the belt” statement about Idris Jala.

Idrs Jala’s contribution to the organizations and companies that he served is far bigger than what you may have achieved in your party or for the country.

Regards

Iqbal Abd Ghaffar

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It goes to show how some people would go to great extents just to hit at Najib’s administration. That’s fine with me, in fact I do too! One can hit at the politicians who lead the ministries, but one should exercise extreme caution when targeting an individual that is known to have an excellent track record of delivery.

Unfortunately for Mahfuz Omar and Salahuddin Ayub, Idris Jala is a man with many excellent track records of delivery.

I applaud Najib’s move to appoint Idris Jala into his cabinet. I believe He is trying to live up to his motto of “People First, Performance Now”. The move will definitely ruffle a lot of feathers especially political warlords from the ruling BN coalition.

But I strongly feel that appointing a handful of professionals into his cabinet will not make his cabinet any more credible. Its already brimming with corrupt politicians who are more self-interested than they are of the people. If Najib is serious about “People First, Performance Now” then at least 60% of his cabinet ministers should be professionals!

To Idris Jala, I wish you all the best in implementing these KPI’s. You’ve got a great deal of work cut out for you. It won’t be an easy feat trying to get cooperation from UMNO/MCA/MIC and the other BN component party warlords to achieve their KPI. But if you are able to pull this one through and survive BN politics, you can survive almost anything.

-IAG-

Iqbal Abd Ghaffar admires both Tony Fernandez and Idris Jala for their strong business acumen and leadership qualities. He has yet to meet Idris Jala.