Rusdi Kirana lawan Tony Fernandez..Pusingan pertama....

Malindo eratkan Indonesia-Malaysia

KARIM RASLAN
18 September 2012

 

Pengguna kini inginkan tambang murah, penerbangan yang lebih kerap dan kapal terbang baru. Jika anda fikir penerbangan antara Malaysia dan Indonesia sudah cukup murah dan kerap: fikir kembali.

Pada minggu lepas, Rusdi Kirana, pemilik Lion Air, pengendali penerbangan tambang murah terbesar di Indonesia, menandatangani perjanjian dengan National Aerospace & Defence Industries (NADI) untuk menubuhkan Malindo Airways.

Nadi akan memiliki 51 peratus kepentingan manakala Lion pula 49 peratus, tetapi Lion akan mengendalikan pengurusan penerbangan baru tersebut. Malindo akan beroperasi dari KLIA2 yang bakal dibuka tidak lama lagi dan memulakan penerbangan antara Indonesia - Malaysia pada Mei 2013.

Malindo Airways akan memulakan operasi dengan 12 kapal terbang Boeing 737-900 dan lima Dreamliner 787-8 ciptaan syarikat gergasi Amerika itu, bermula 2015, serta memiliki 100 kapal terbang dalam masa 10 tahun. Malah, perancangan mereka termasuk penerbangan ke Asean, China, Hong Kong, India, Jepun dan mungkin sejauh Australia dan Eropah.

Kerjasama Indonesia dan Malaysia tersebut merupakan berita baik. Walaupun hubungan antara kedua negara ini kadangkala tidak stabil, hasil usaha sama ini mampu mengeratkan lagi hubungan sesama masyarakat Indonesia dan Malaysia.

Tambahan pula, Rusdi Kirana merupakan ahli perniagaan berjaya yang berani. Pada awal perniagaan Lion pada 2000, menerusi penerbangan antara Jakarta dan Pontianak menggunakan pesawat yang disewa, tiada siapa mengambil serius akan usahawan ini yang asalnya ialah seorang ejen pelancongan. Namun, pada akhir tahun pertamanya, Lion telah memulakan penerbangan ke Singapura dan Kuala Lumpur dan Penang.

Apabila beliau membuat pesanan mega untuk 230 kapal terbang Boeing 737 bernilai AS$21.7 bilion pada November 2011, Jakarta - dan juga seluruh dunia - mula memberi perhatian, lebih-lebih lagi perjanjian tersebut telah disaksikan oleh Presiden AS, Barack Obama.
Kini dengan 80 pesawat dan 60 destinasi, syarikat penerbangan ‘Pak Rusdi’ telah melangkaui Garuda sebagai pengendali pesawat domestik terbesar di Indonesia.

Berdasarkan laporan Wall Street Journal pada 2011, sebanyak 47.9 peratus daripada pelancong domestik Indonesia memilih Lion Air dan angka ini dijangka meningkat kepada 30 juta orang pada 2012. Sememangnya, ini suatu pencapaian luar biasa bagi seseorang yang umurnya belum lagi mencecah 50 tahun!

Melalui perjanjian dengan NADI, ternyata Pak Rusdi mempunyai rancangan bagi pasaran antarabangsa, satu sektor yang dikuasai AirAsia, gergasi penerbangan Asia Tenggara. AirAsia kini memegang 40 peratus daripada pasaran penerbangan antarabangsa di Malaysia (dan juga 42 peratus Indonesia). AirAsia telah menguatkan genggaman mereka ke atas Indonesia dengan pembelian Batavia Air pada Julai 2012 dengan harga AS$80 juta. Malah pendiri AirAsia Tan Sri Tony Fernandes juga berhijrah ke Jakarta.

Pak Rusdi dan Tony (Tony mengalu-alukan persaingan ini) akan berhadapan antara satu sama lain, walaupun telah dinyatakan bahawa Malindo bukan seperti AirAsia, dan akan menyediakan perkhidmatan hiburan semasa penerbangan.

Pasaran sebaliknya ingin menggalakkan persaingan ini; modal pasaran AirAsia telah jatuh sebanyak RM475 juta pada 12 September 2012 (sehari selepas pengumuman penubuhan Malindo) dan harga saham pula telah jatuh sebanyak 5.33 peratus. Ekspansi Lion Air mungkin akan mengurangkan dominasi AirAsia di Indonesia dan Asia Tenggara, ujar penganalisis Citi, Rigan Wong.

Hanya masa yang akan menentukan sejauh mana Malindo dapat merealisasikan potensinya: kerana banyak syarikat penerbangan baru yang gagal untuk mengekalkan momentum selepas pelancarannya.

Satu lagi aspek menarik persaingan ini adalah perang proksi untuk kuasa dominan dalam pasaran penerbangan Asia Tenggara antara Airbus (AirAsia) dan Boeing (Lion/Malindo).

Saya berasa sedikit kecewa kerana Pak Rusdi tidak menggunakan jenama Lion Air dalam usaha sama Malindo ini. Lion Air - dengan penerbangan kerap ke Kuala Lumpur, Penang dan Melaka (dan akan ke Johor Baru) - merupakan satu jenama yang sudah dikenali ramai di Malaysia.

Namun, ini merupakan permulaan satu persaingan perniagaan yang hebat - sama seakan-akan Apple vs Microsoft atau Pepsi vs Coca-Cola.

KL cabbies living up to ‘worst taxi drivers in the world’ reputation

By NATALIE HENG
newsdesk@thestar.com.my
Photos by AZHAR MAHFOF

KUALA LUMPUR: It didn't take much a backpack slung over my shoulders, an empty camera bag around the neck, some baggy trousers and voila, I looked every bit the Mat Salleh tourist.
 

Thanks to my British-Malaysian Chinese parentage, I was assigned to go “undercover” to check out how a typical tourist would fare with our KL cabbies, who had earned the city the reputation of having the worst taxi drivers in the world, according to LondonCabs.co.uk.

Popular website Tripadvisor also warns travellers about KL's errant taxi drivers who “refuse to use the meter, quoting a fare often with the view of ripping you off”.

“This quoted' fare is generally akin to daylight robbery, and sometimes when haggling takes place, it is reciprocated with rude gestures or abusive language ...” adds Tripadvisor.

On Virtualtourist.com, a visitor posted: “I have travelled the world and from Bombay to Boston I can tell you the taxi drivers in KL are the biggest pack of thieving lying dirtbags you will ever come across.”


Another responded: “Agreed! They are notorious and globally infamous for fleecing customers!”
So masquerading as a tourist, I quickly learnt that when you look lost and Caucasian, you're never short of a “friend” in Jalan Bukit Bintang.
“Hello, how are you?”
“Where you want to go, Miss?”
“Taxi ma'am?”
My first test case was a bespectacled man who leapt out from a line of cabs with the words “Metered Taxi” plastered across each side.
“Puduraya?” I asked cluelessly.
“No problem,” he said.
The cab was fairly well kept, and we joined in the line of moving traffic in front of Lot 10 along Jalan Sultan Ismail in downtown Kuala Lumpur.
The driver was polite and friendly.
He set on getting to know me where I was from, what I was doing here and then offering several exciting trips for me to take: to Genting Highlands and back? RM250. National Zoo? RM100.

How much?: Natalie having to haggle with a taxi driver in Jalan Sultan Ismail, Kuala Lumpur, despite (below) the sticker on a taxi stating that haggling is prohibited.

“In England, people have a lot of money, uh?”
“There's a recession,” I replied.
“When you in Malaysia, your money very big!”
We drove for a bit longer and after a minute, I asked innocently: “What's this sign on your window aren't you supposed to use the meter?”
Only the cabs at a taxi stand use the meter, he explained patiently, “but you walk very far one”.
We covered approximately 2km in about five minutes. The fee was RM25.
A quick check on the Malaysia Taxi Auto Fare website tells me the trip should have cost RM8.
I asked for a receipt, and he tore out a slip from his pink receipt book, handing it to me blank, with a knowing smile.
In all, I took five cabs, and surveyed six more, trying to get a fare comparison. Not a single one used the meter, and all had an ingenious excuse: Friday prayers, very bad traffic jam, hard to find customers, the machine is broken.

Fares for the same location varied; another cabbie who took me back to where I started, for example, charged RM15.
Out of five cabbies I asked to take me to Muzium Negara, about 4.5km away, one wanted RM15, another RM20, still another RM25 and the other two RM30.
If this is how they treat a supposed backpacker, how much would they charge me if I was staying at a five-star hotel?
“How much to Le Meridien?” I asked one driver parked outside Pavilion shopping mall.
“RM45” came the prompt answer.
Malaysia Taxi Auto Fare has that journey down to RM10, for a 10-minute, 4.5km drive.
The cab interiors varied most were well kept, and the drivers were friendly or indifferent.
There was only one driver who lived up to the number one ranking of “Worst Drivers” List, and I found him 100m to the left of Suria KLCC shopping mall's main entrance.
He was surrounded by a group of burly friends.
“Where you want to go miss?” he asked, more bullying than friendly. Central Market, I said, as he opened the door to a blue executive cab.
I wanted to go in one of the six red taxis parked around us.
“All the same price!” he said to the agreement of other taxi drivers who had crowded around him.
So I got in and the first thing we did was an illegal U-turn right across the pavement of a pedestrian crossing after the “walk” light had turned green.
Then we drove down a bus lane, went through a red light, and arrived at the far end of Lebuh Ampang, 1km away from Central Market.
“Is this Central Market?” I asked.
“Yes, there!” he said, pointing to the end of the road.
I handed him a RM50 note for my RM40, 10-minute journey. What he said next really took the biscuit.
“No change, you go to that shop and get change.”
Of all the taxi drivers I met that day, the only taxi driver who did not overcharge was a man in his early 60s.
He didn't use the meter when he took me from Jalan Tun H.S. Lee to Pavilion in Bukit Bintang and his asking price was RM10, the only fare to almost match Malaysia Taxi Auto Fare's calculations.
That's one in 11. The cabbies I encountered may not have been as nasty and rude as they have been made out to be. But when it comes to refusing to use the meter and fleecing the passenger, it seems all too sadly true.
Related Stories:
Time cabbies play by the rules
Our road ahead is tough and rough too, say taxi drivers
Taxi company looking at ways to address drivers' complaints
SPAD seeks to regulate taxi coupon operators and help drivers

Bahasa Malaysia masih dipinggirkan

 TANGGAPAN bahawa Bahasa Malaysia hanya dimiliki oleh orang Melayu dan bukannya teras kepada pembangunan negara bangsa antara faktor kenapa bahasa kebangsaan masih gagal dimartabatkan dan dihormati pada kedudukan sewajarnya termasuk di kalangan rakyat asing yang berada di negara ini.

Menteri Besar, Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir, berkata sehingga kini ramai rakyat negara ini memahami istilah bangsa sebagai merujuk kepada kaum masing-masing iaitu sama ada Melayu, Cina, India serta kaum minoriti lain dan bukannya melihat ia sebagai penduduk yang tinggal di Malaysia.

“Aspek Bahasa Malaysia sebagai bahasa kebangsaan yang juga teras perpaduan negara bangsa bagi semua rakyat Malaysia tidak menonjol. Ia akhirnya meninggalkan kesan psikologi bahawa Bahasa Malaysia hanya dimiliki dan dipertuturkan oleh orang Melayu saja sehingga lupa kedudukannya sebagai bahasa kebangsaan dan teras negara Malaysia.

"Hakikatnya, sekarang semakin ramai generasi muda bukan Melayu terutama Cina dan India yang fasih bertutur Bahasa Malaysia. Jadi saya tetap yakin jika kita dapat pecahkan tembok pemisah bahawa bahasa Malaysia untuk orang Melayu saja. Bahasa Malaysia akan dituturi dan dihormati dengan lebih meluas," katanya.

Beliau berucap ketika merasmikan penutupan Seminar Memartabatkan Bahasa Malaysia bertajuk Bahasa Malaysia Merealisasikan 1Malaysia' anjuran Jabatan Pengajian Melayu Institut Pendidikan Guru Kampus Ipoh dan Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) Wilayah Utara dengan kerjasama Kerajaan Negeri Perak di Ipoh, Ahad lalu.

Zambry berkata, rakyat Malaysia sewajarnya mencontohi beberapa negara asing yang begitu berbangga dengan bahasa kebangsaan masing-masing seperti ditunjukkan oleh rakyat Jepun dan pengalamannya bertemu dengan seorang ahli akademik terkemuka Jepun lulusan Universiti Harvard yang fasih berbahasa Inggeris cukup menginsafkan.

“Sarjana Jepun itu enggan menggunakan bahasa antarabangsa itu apabila berbincang, sebaliknya lebih rela menggunakan khidmat jurubahasa kerana sikap patriotiknya mahu bertutur bahasa Jepun. Begitu juga apabila saya bertemu dengan beberapa pegawai kedutaan asing yang sudah lama menetap di negara ini.

“Tidak ramai yang fasih dalam Bahasa Malaysia kerana tiada keperluan belajar bahasa terbabit sebab mereka tidak menghadapi masalah berbahasa Inggeris di negara ini. Malah, mereka mengakui cuba berbual dalam Bahasa Malaysia, lazimnya rakyat Malaysia akan menjawabnya pula dalam bahasa Inggeris," katanya.

Justeru, Zambry yakin bahawa usaha untuk memartabatkan Bahasa Malaysia sebenarnya terletak pada kesungguhan rakyat negara ini sendiri dan mereka juga perlu mengubah persepsi bahawa hanya yang fasih berbahasa Inggeris saja mempunyai status sosial lebih tinggi.

MAS A380

Malaysia Airlines Announces Details Of Its A380

Malaysia Airlines today revealed the design and specifications of its first new flagship aircraft, the Airbus A380-800, that is on track for entry into service from 1 July 2012.

 The first Malaysian A380 aircraft’s exterior was showcased in a new livery that retained the national airline’s rich ‘wau’ heritage together with modern fonts in contemporary colours, demonstrating the national carrier’s commitment towards using new avenues to deliver its renowned Malaysian Hospitality brand experience in fresh and exciting ways.

 Group Chief Executive Officer, Ahmad Jauhari Yahya said, ‘We are the first to introduce the A380 into service using a uniquely refreshed look and feel, instead of the regular corporate identity, to showcase our latest premium offering in products and services. This will be our flagship aircraft to launch our exciting new levels of comfort, luxury and convenience in long haul travel.”

 The A380 has a capacity of 494 seats in a three-class configuration comprising 8 First Class seats and 350 Economy Class seats on the main deck, together with 66 Business Class seats and 70 economy Class seats on the upper deck.

The First Class cabin has a luxurious seat pitch of 85 inches with 87 inch full flat bed seats complemented with individual 23 inch inflight entertainment (IFE) screens whilst the Business Class cabin features a seat pitch of 74 inches and full flat bed seats each measuring 72 inches in length together with individual 17-inch IFE screens.

 The Economy class seats with an 18-inch seat width and recline of 6 inches, have a seat pitch of 32 inches and individual IFE screens measuring 10.6 inches. In-seat laptop charging facilities are available on every seat in First and Business Class. In Economy, laptop charging facilities are shared by every 2 seats.

 The aircraft is fitted with the Thales entertainment system, with fully customised Graphic User Interface specific for quick navigation and seat in all classes is equipped with USB port and satellite telephone facility.

 Operated by a cabin crew team of 18 members for inflight delivery of the unique Malaysian Hospitality, customers travelling on Malaysia Airlines’ A380 will be treated to a fine selection of Malaysian and International cuisines with lighter and healthier-concept meals. For the first time, the ‘Chef-on-Call’ facility, currently available to First Class passengers of Malaysia Airlines, will also be available for Business Class passengers of the A380 as an extension of the airline’s renowned Branded Customer Experience.

 The first A380 of Malaysia’s national carrier will operate 3 times weekly on the Kuala Lumpur-London route from 1 July 2012. The second A380 will also be introduced on this route from end-August 2012 to offer double daily operations while the third will be used for Kuala Lumpur-Sydney flights.

 “At Malaysia Airlines, we continue to innovate and introduce new services for the benefit of our customers. The investment in this latest aircraft, its technology, futuristic style and innovative design in cabin comfort are our initiatives to ensure that our passengers continue to experience an exciting new level of comfort, luxury and convenience. This is the identity that will move us from Traditional Classic to Premium Contemporary in our efforts to position Malaysia Airlines as a Preferred Premium Carrier,” added Ahmad Jauhari.

 Ends.

angry customer

“UPSET CUSTOMERS DESERVE OUR TIME”

A natural inclination when dealing with a customer who is upset, angry or even hostile is to get it over with as quickly as possible.

However, the time and effort we spend to calm and save an unhappy Customer will pay off in higher loyalty and a better working relationship the next time he or she contacts us.

Here are a few tips to offer Customers a shining example of what service is really all about:

·        Let us not begin the conversation by being defensive or criticizing the customer.  That will result in a hostile reaction by the Customer, which might cause his or her anger to skyrocket.

·        Allow for the venting phase.  This helps to dissipate any feelings of hostility or anger by letting the  Customer talk it out for as long as it takes.

·        We should remind ourselves that any abuse is directed at the Company, not us as individuals.  Hence we need not take negative remarks personally.

·        When it is our turn to talk, we should speak in a quiet tone.

·        Where possible, we should offer the Customer a few alternatives as to what our Company can do to fix the problem.  In this way we give the Customer a feeling of control by allowing him or her to make the final decision on the resolution.

·        After we have taken the time to reestablish trust with the Customer, we must make sure the ball does not get dropped.  It is important to follow up with any other department that is involved in the resolution, as well as with the Customer to ensure he or she is fully satisfied.

Management changes among concerns of MAS staff

KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 15, 2012): The number of changes at the top executive level at Malaysia Airlines (MAS) and the appointment of former key executives of AirAsia Bhd to the national carrier are believed to be some of the concerns raised by union representatives in their meeting with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak yesterday.

According to industry watchers, staff at MAS are concerned about the dramatic changes to its senior management line-up from its board of directors to the CEO, CFO and heads of business units, following a share swap between MAS and AirAsia last August.

MAS had appointed former AirAsia regional head of engineering, Azhari Mohd Dahlan, as its Engineering & Maintenance (MAE) CEO on Feb 1 and former AirAsia regional head of finance, Rozman Omar, as MAS group CFO.

The observer said another concern is that MAS may deunionise its workforce. It was reported that MAS has about 20,000 workers and at least eight workers' unionised groups, while AirAsia currently has 9,000 staff and no union.

MAS Employees' Union (Maseu) was slated to hold a press conference yesterday after its meeting with the prime minister, but the press conference was called off at the last minute without any reasons given. Its president Alias Aziz could not be reached for comment.

Last December, Alias had told SunBiz that MAS' unionised staff were unhappy over a potential plan by its management to downsize the workforce as part of the national carrier's turnaround plan.

He had also said the union members also disagreed with the MAS-AirAsia share swap as they see AirAsia benefiting more from the deal than MAS.

"Many MAS staff are kept in the dark by senior management about what the airline is working on, their decisions, plans and future direction," said another observer.

"For instance, they are wondering what will happen to its long-haul premium airline as it suspends loss-making routes, leaving not many overseas destinations to fly to, and as it puts more emphasis on its short-haul operations (which include Firefly and the new regional premium carrier that will be launched by mid-2012)," he added.