AirAsia boss Tony Fernandez has described his decision to sponsor Khairy Jamaluddin’s MyTeam football project as being the “biggest mistake” of his life.
He said the move – which was meant to make some local lads’ dreams come true – “backfired” instead when it was rumoured that Khairy, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s son-in-law, owned a stake in AirAsia.
“The biggest mistake of my life, and to be fair to this guy, (was when) Khairy Jamaluddin’s team came to propose sponsoring the MyTeam (football project).
“How fantastic – taking guys from the rubber estates, from kampungs, from new villages – to London to play Manchester United. This airline is all about making dreams come true. We’ve also sponsored Manchester United. How great!” said Fernandez in a 60-minute interview with Malaysiakini last Thursday in his office at the Low-Cost Carrier Terminal in Sepang.
“But then it backfired because suddenly, it was rumoured that Khairy and the ‘Fourth Floor’ now own 40 percent of AirAsia.”
Fernandes said he was willing to swear on whatever sacred scripture that would satisfy those who claimed that Khairy has a sizable stake in the budget carrier.
“I hate to sound like a politician, but put a Bible, Quran, whatever, in front of me and I’ll swear on it and say no! I only did the MyTeam thing with him.”
According to Fernandes, the blogosphere where the rumours have originated is become “sick and twisted”.
‘I’ve tried to engage bloggers’
The AirAsia’s 46-year-old chief executive argued that had he enjoyed close links with Abdullah and Khairy, the airline would not have lost several lucrative contracts to MAS.
He cited the deal to transport Muslim pilgrims to Saudi Arabia and the arrangement with the Defence Ministry to transport soldiers between East Malaysia and Peninsular Malaysia.
“Under DRB-Hicom, we had the haj contract, which was very valuable to us, and I did it for two years. MAS took that away (in 2003). They undercut us, we couldn’t match it, and it was gone. But that’s fair competition. No complaints. But you say I’m a crony? If so, I should have been able, with all my powerful friends, to keep the haj contract.
“The Ministry of Defence contract, we did it for seven years and gave fantastic service to the army. Look who’s minister of defence (PM Abdullah) now. Yet, we lost 50 percent of the defence contract to MAS,” said Fernandes.
He blamed a “vicious” community of bloggers for failing to appraise his company objectively.
“It’s guilt by association. I’m ‘collateral damage’, aren’t I?” he said. “There’s just a vicious community of bloggers out there who just spout hate. I’ve tried to engage them. I’ve even invited them here.”
However, if there’s one positive outcome from the personal attacks, it is the motivation for Fernandez to prove his detractors wrong.
“They’re willing to bash me and use racial slurs. There’s one good thing, though, and that’s they’ve called me fat. So now I’m motivated to be thin! When I read the blogs, I see, ‘Hey Fatso!’ But I’m going to show you I can be thin!” said Fernandes, laughing.
Tumpang lalu:
Ceramah Khas Mesra Rakyat Meraikan YB Dato’ Nasarudin Hashim
Ceramah Khas Mesra Rakyat
Penceramah
1. Dato’ Seri Anwar b. Ibrahim – AP Permatang Pauh
2. Dato’ Seri Ir. Mohd Nizar b. Jamaluddin – MB Perak
3. Dato’ Nasarudin b. Hashim – ADUN Bota
4. Tuan Hj. Usaili b. Alias – Penyelia DUN Bota
Tarikh : 30 Januari 2009 (Jumaat)
Masa : 9.00 malam
Tempat : Stadium Bakri Rais, Bota Kanan, Perak.
Semua dijemput hadir.
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Mr Tony,
Berkongsilah, rezeki sama rata, jangan tamak, ada sikit kongsi ada banyak kongsi, Air Asia dengan usia muda, bebenan masih rendah, bersyukurlah…jangan nak lebih lebih…
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BAGUSLAH SUDAH SEDAR…..
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wah…parit…….wajib pergi……..
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zainudin Reply:
January 29th, 2009 at 2:53 am
pergi jangan tak pergi..dah jatuh hukum wajib tak pergi berdosa kot..hehe
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generationY Reply:
January 29th, 2009 at 11:27 am
sapelak nak pandai berhukum2ni zainudin ooiii… jgn nak dok marah org ramai pegi dgr ceramah ni.. hangni zainudin anak pakmaidin tu kaa.. yg dok tak reti ckp inggerih tapi nak ckp gak tu.. ckp je la bahasa melayu kalau tak reti.. buat malu kat org melayuje.. menteri lak tu.. muahaha… apa2pun zainudin tetap zainudin… hahahaha… that.. that.. that.. emm.. u know… muahahahaha…warkakaka…
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nation has bigger , larger problem to worry about ; competition is healthy ; do not regret for sponsoring myteam – go ahead sponsor the national team that is more challenging ; more rewarding if successed. FAM needs people like you DS Tony ; BUT talk to the Sultan not his deputy … Khairy
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Sudahlah ko Tony… guilt by association konon.. Yang ko dulu bertungkus lumus nak kempen untuk Shahrizat masa Mac ’08 dulu tu apa? Itu guilt by action! Now, kamu nampak BN nak tenggelam, kamu pun ubah irama.. Mmg dasar Malayalee!
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kuda kepang STC Reply:
January 28th, 2009 at 7:33 pm
Sudah lah Tony kami tahu siapa di belakang Air Asia!! orang yang luluskan lesen Air Asia TDM dan Ananda Krishana , yang jadi penjamin di Luar Negara untuk beli sebegitu banyak Airbus, MAS beli kapal terbang di jamin oleh Kerajaan. Air Asia siapa kalu orang itu tidak cukup sekaya mungkin kalu bukan Annanda Krishanan. dia lah di belakang sebagai penjamin. biasanya kalau nak beli kapal terbang jaminan nya harus gergasi, bukan kepalang orang yang nak jamin dan sebuah Air asia belian dan insurance sebuah Airbus jutaan bang!!!! tak termasuk bayaran hutang beli kapal tersebut. kalau dah boleh tanggung itu semua ini satu pernaigaan yang amat pelik, bagai mana seorang pengurus syarikat muzik, boleh adakan wang sebegitu banyak wang, persoalanya siapa di belakang AirAsia kalau bukan seorang yang cukup kaya raya. tepuk dada tanya selera????? .yang amat pelik di mana mereka dapat modal beli dari DRB??? . pada kita penubuhan Air Asia di peringkat awal amat pelik?? seribu persoalan di minda rakyat. ini berniga sebut jutaan. nak beli LCCT labu dari Sime Darby sebut billion – billion. baru setahun jagung dah sebut billion dimana wang depa dapat jatuh dari langit ke???? pada saya Air Asia ini sebuah syarikat yang penuh dengan misteri . ini semua setelah di rumuskan salah dan berpunca dari UMNO.
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zainudin Reply:
January 29th, 2009 at 2:58 am
Jenis malayalee…ling.. kaki pusing,kaki lompat,pengkhianat and hindraf ni memang tempat dia kat PKR aje … pikul ajelah..
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kuda kepang STC Reply:
January 29th, 2009 at 7:55 pm
Tun Daim Zainuddin!!!
You pun ada pegagan dalam Air Asia ye!!!!
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SILENT MAJORITY Reply:
February 1st, 2009 at 2:30 am
Brother DT. Tony,
FROM THEIR WRITING, THESE GOONS ARE JEALOUS OF YOUR SUCCESS!
ANYWAY, THE NOT SO RICH PEOPLE OF MALAYSIA(ALL RACES PERLIS TO
SABAH)CONGRATULATE U FOR MAKING BUDGET TRAVEL AFFORDABLE IN MOST
ASIAN COUNTRIES!
WE THINK PEOPLE OF ASIA IN INDON, THAILAND, CHINA, INDIA, AUSTRALIA,etc
ARE GRATEFUL TO AIR ASIA BECOZ>>>>”EVERYONE CAN FLY”!
WE WISH U SUCESS IN ALL ENDEAVORS!
BUT 1 MISTAKE U MAKE DURING PRU 2008….WHY DID U SUPPORT SHAHRIZAT???
U SHOULD REMAIN APOLITICAL!
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Never regret in what you are doing if it is for good intention. Anwar Ibrahim did many good thing when he was a powerful DPM but he got the worst treatment and beaten almost dead.
This can only happen in Malaysia, so what we need is go for CHANGE.
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bumi own u Reply:
January 28th, 2009 at 8:48 pm
yes… there is a 22 year old dead “kid” thanks to the police…
Water in the lungs? Is this a torture technique that the Malays use against indians?
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Karma Reply:
January 29th, 2009 at 1:40 pm
Aiiyoo friend, dont be racist la… Why bring in Malays and Indians here? You will rub off watever sympathy Malays have for Indians and people who got tortured like Kugan if you start bringing in race into this issue. You must maintain the momentum of sympathy, and not go out in the streets by saying this is Hindu-Indian issue. Wungge ke vellengge daa???
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mohddarin Reply:
January 29th, 2009 at 2:38 pm
22 year old kid?…. stupid u… he is a criminal…. better die… wat a waste to put him in jail… let him die in peace… pencuri…
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Masa senang kawan ketawa memang ramai, tapi bila kita susah sengsara, kawan-kawan yang sama ketawa itu semua lari lintang pukang, sama lah dengan khairy tu!
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guni setahil Reply:
January 28th, 2009 at 6:39 pm
Masa senang ramai kawan masa susah pun ramai kawan macam TUN Daim, hilang kasut pun keluar paper??? banyak kawan!! kasutnya pasti ratusan ribu kut?? itu pasal keluar paper.
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Dato’ Seri Ir. Mohd Nizar b. Jamaluddin – MB Perak bila pula nak masuk PKR !!!!
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joe-kedah Reply:
January 28th, 2009 at 10:43 pm
memang kau ni orang umno yang bahlol, nak masuk tapi tak tau lorong, pas ke, pkr ke sama juga semua dalam pakatan rakyat. ini lah tongong tak pernah baca sejarah!
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zainudin Reply:
January 29th, 2009 at 2:55 am
kene masuk…. lau tidak takut kene sekel…
kang tak pasal hilang jwtan MB..
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ANAK MALAYSIA Reply:
January 29th, 2009 at 3:25 am
alamak….jgnlah pulak nak cerita pasal MBPERAK nak masuk PKR…ceritalah pasal masalah ekonomi negara…itukan lebih baik dan berfaedah?
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wasai Reply:
January 29th, 2009 at 8:27 am
PKR/PAS/DAP itu Pakatan Rakyat.. Faham??
Jangan jadi Pak lawak yang keterlauan.
Apa…panik ke bro..?
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tony tony tony…dont cross that bridge between fair greed and indian arrogance..
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Dato’ Seri Ir. Mohd Nizar b. Jamaluddin – MB Perak bila pula nak masuk PKR ! hahahahaha kau ni dah kenapa? masuk air mamat ni hahahahaha
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Tony oh tony! Only now you’re talking? 11 months ago, you were busy against Nurul Izzah..defending Shahrizat in Bangsar! Poraa… Don’t worry, I dont think DSAI will tarik balik your license if and when he takes over…Tony, save your a**?
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sgbertih Reply:
February 1st, 2009 at 3:45 pm
and YB Nurul Izzah will be the next Menteri Pengangkutan.
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tony nak masuk PKR jugak ker? muahahaha!
apa-apa hal pun, tony, u rock! tapi betul ke u nak sumpah bible, quran, veda etc etc? kau kena sembunyikan banyak bukti dulu, fatso. hotel, sykt komunikasi, etc etc…
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F**k you, Tony Fernandez
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Baru sekarang Tony nak mengaku Khairy takde apa2 dengan dia? Ini mungkin disebabkan Khairy pun sudah takde kuasa. Khairy pun turut nak menumpang kasih dengan Najib, tapi takut TunDrM tak bagi. Apa la punya politik ni dalam umno. Macam politik kampung saja.
Kesian.
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Woi tony lu jangan kelentong tau, wa tau lu lanun cetak rompak, kaki bodek lagi besar punya perompak! KJ sudah susah lu mau lari dey tambi lu betul-betul naie(anjing)
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Tony – now everyone can lie
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Amalan Rasuah mendatangkan bala dan dosa. TUHAN sudah memberi amaran berkenaan amalan Rasuah dan kepada yang engkar akan menghadapi tentangan dari TUHAN dan para Malaikat-NYA.
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bila plak ku li and gang nak lompat…brahim ali lompat balik ke UMNO…
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Janganlah nak percaya sikit pun cakap si Tony ni.Memang dasar lidah bercabang.Berapa ramai orang dah teraniaya dek kelentong mamat sekor ni.Hari ni cakap lain esok cakap lain.Ramai bekas pekerja MAS di Sabah dan Sarawak hilang kerja angkara lembu ni.
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hey fatso, don’t cry over spilled milk.
the way you rose so fast was TDM, you should thank him. now with those contracts gone you regret now….too late. stop putting up a show here.
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mane boleh MB PErak msk PKR..PAS more better than PKR..jgn mrh k..
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Najib ngan Abdullah bila nak masuk PAS?
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ALl you crooks, I suspect you didnt loose the contract, set up another company and award the contract to male you “loose” the contract !
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storm62 Reply:
January 29th, 2009 at 1:22 pm
ya ya, MP Rembau tu dah potong trip dia ni. hi hi hi.
REMBAU = REMpit kerBAU = REMBAU
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tony now you can fly la….fly to hell
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Khairy ingat dia masih muda ker? Dia tu jadi MP memang buta mata
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Macam ni punya orang pon ada ker kat dunia ni???
Dah abes kau pakai,dah kering kau perah,dah kontang madunya nko hisap baru sekarang nko nak bunyik???
Apsal???sebab nko dah nampak….’Payung Emas’ yang nko dok pakai selama ni dah mula berlubang-lubang and tak lama lagi nak koyak rabak…Tony……Tony….
Hai….inilah orang bisnes…kiri kanan depan belakang sume nko nak sapu!!!…Janji ade masyukkkkkkk….!!!…..CHHAIIITTT….PPOOOODDAHH THAMBI!!!
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“if a man who dont know his past is lke a tree witout his roots”… Time for you to make for a stand,Tony… Well done so far.. We are a nation who can forgive..but not forget!
They try to teach ya..even they try to school ya..but if you think it is a hell..then why not try it..!!
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Frankly speaking, we need entreprenuers like Tony Fernandes, Idris Jala, Chef Wan and many more outstanding Malaysians. we know that Tony has billionaire back up for sure the Astro King! but in the business and corporate world, is all the way the same. we do not have to include racial matters in the issue. in the business world, who works extra hard, brilliant innovations, prudent financial management, sharp analytical thinking could only survive the rough & tumble of the corporate world. please dont racial matters or personal matters to bring any outstanding Malaysians. if you want to topple someone brilliant as Tony, then you have to be double or triple genius to defeat his accomplishments! i am not an Indian but we must understand the nature of the corporate world. it is like the survival of the fittest. no offence guys!
but for khairy, the golden boy of Pak Lah, he should learn & be aware that he maybe has reach the golden peak of his life! but in reality, there are still many poor Malays, Chinese, Indians, Orang Asli, Sarawak & Sabah bumiputera that are very,very poor.this lad from rembau only learned politics the easiest way to reach to the top. our life is just like a cycle, someone will go up and he/she will go down later. khairy was born in an rich & established family but he had done a lot of damage to the Malaysian People mind & heart simply by being to arrogant, naive and showing-off. personally, i think Pak Lah was a humble, fatherly figure but his reputation was badly damaged by KJ, no offence Pak Lah. future PR leaders must learn from KJ mistakes because of the quest to be an instant millionaire, KJ really made a huge negative impact towards the People! PR must never take this type of criteria to become future PR leaders, or not PR will also go down to the ground.
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