Malay rights group Perkasa denounced today the appointment
of Peter Bellew as Malaysian Airlines Berhad (MAB) CEO, renewing its call for a
Malaysian to assume the role.
Perkasa’s economic bureau chairman Datuk Ruhanie Ahmad said
Bellew’s appointment goes against the voice of the Malaysian public and shows
the administration’s lack of confidence in local talent.
“Perkasa’s economic bureau urges the Najib administration
and Khazanah to call off Bellew’s appointment and immediately fill the vacancy
with a Malaysian citizen,” he said in a statement.
“Perkasa Economic Bureau Malaysia also urges the entire MAB
board of directors to resign from their posts immediately for failing to defend
the interests of the people and the government of Malaysia in MAB and MAS.”
He said the group was disappointed with Prime Minister Datuk
Seri Najib Razak’s decision to approve the appointment Bellew, who now also is
an MAB board member and group MD of Malaysia Aviation Group Berhad (MAG).
Bellew, who was MAB chief operating officer (COO), was
announced yesterday as former CEO Christoph Mueller’s replacement.
MAB had announced in April that Mueller, who succeeded Ahmad
Jauhari Yahya as managing director and Malaysia Airlines CEO on May 1 last
year, will step down this September, far ahead of the expiry of his three-year
contract.
Mueller, a German aviation veteran, who had cut 6,000 jobs
and axed unprofitable routes in Malaysia Airlines, was appointed following
Khazanah Nasional Berhad launching its 12-point MAS Recovery Plan on August 29,
2014, to help return Malaysia Airlines to profitability, noting today that the
five-year plan is on schedule.
According to Khazanah, the decision to replace Mueller with
Bellew was was discussed and recorded at its June 21 board of directors’
meeting chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
Source –Malay Mail Online-
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