Crabby Malaysians and AirAsia – The Malaysian Insider

;">

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 13 – Tall poppy syndrome. Crab mentality. Schadenfreude.

Go read it up in the Wikipedia. All relate to AirAsia’s phenomenal success and their current ambitions to build their own airport in Labu.

In any other country, some of us might cheer them. Their motto “Now Everyone can fly” proved to be true enough for the current low-cost carrier terminal (LCCT) at the KL International Airport to burst at the seams notwithstanding the terminal expansion ready in March.

For too long, we have complained about Malaysia Airlines shoddy service that they even dropped their MAS moniker which we cynically christened as “Mana Ada Sistem”. Now, Malaysia Airlines is using their airline code MH to mean Malaysian Hospitality, together with mealboxes that say a lot about our hospitality.

In any other country, the fact that other private companies want to run airports or terminals say a thing or two about the current operator. We too have long carped about monopolies and the need for competition. AirAsia succeeded with Tony Fernandes and team, competing with Malaysia Airlines although those who begot it couldn’t make it a success.

Yes, they had help from the government. They had fees cut, they had privileges but it all came back to us. No-fares. One ringgit fares. With all our taxes and charges listed out. Imagine, all these years to Singapore and back on shuttle flights for RM600 and all you get is a measly orange juice.

Now, even Malaysia Airlines has dusted off its 1990s proposals and finally seen the light to use turbo-prop aircraft out of Subang to cater to the leisure and business crowd who don’t mind going slower than jet-speed but will want full-service quality. That is competition for AirAsia.

But some of us in this great nation want AirAsia and Tony Fernandes to fail. He is the tall poppy that must be cut to size. He is the crab that must not be allowed to get out of the basket. He must endure misery for us to be happy.

Comeuppance? Perhaps, but we in Malaysia will be all the poorer when Airasia crashes and burns.

Then, everyone can cry.