In late 2019, Malaysia Airlines Berhad (MAB) began to appear in Malaysian news headlines again. It was reported that the government has received several proposal with the aim of being a strategic partner to the ailing airline. The Malaysian Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad has reportedly said that all options need to be considered and some of the proposals is considered as “no-go”. The airline has been struggling to be profitable with years of transformation programme have yet to demonstrate significant success.

Focus Malaysia reported that Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad said the government has received 5 proposals. While the newspaper has named the first four of them as AirAsia Group Berhad (AAGB), Japan Airlines (JAL), Air France-KLM SA and Malindo Airways Sdn Bhd (Malindo). The fifth proposal has yet to be ascertained from the news reports.

Japan Airlines Co Ltd (JAL)

Japan Airlines is proposing an RM 1.12 bil of cash injection into Malaysia Airlines. In return, it will have a 25% stake in MAB. However, it was reported that the synergy will not be sufficient to cover losses incurred by MAB.

AirAsia Group

Focus Malaysia reported that AAGB estimates synergies of RM 1.4 bil per year. Besides, the synergy is also expected to solve industry’s overcapacity as well as enabling access to AirAsia’s digital and other aviation business.

There are several concerns on the merger or synergy. The first one is a possible monopoly, given the significance of market share both of them have for Malaysian domestic and Southeast Asia regional destinations. The second one is about the access to AirAsia’s digital and other aviation business. This part of AAGB is expected to bring in more revenues compared to the AirAsia airline business itself. Therefore, MAB may not have a bright future as far as profit is concerned.

Air France-KLM

Being a European carrier, the synergy is expected to bring in more benefits to the airlines in terms of maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO).

Malaysia Airlines has been seeing itself in red for so many years already. IN 2014, it was taken private by Khazanah as part of a multi-year restructuring exercise by the Malaysian government.

Malindo Airways

Malindo offers a one-year “trial period” before the final decision on merger takes place. It hopes that the scale of economies will help both airlines save cost and earn a better revenue.

Go or No-go?

The first foreign CEO appointed during the restructuring exercise was Christoph Mueller, who then resigned before his contract tenure ends with Malaysia Airlines. The optimists may think that he will be successful in bringing the necessary changes to the airline. However, his premature resignation has led the skeptics into believing that he was not successful in turning around the company to profitability.

With MAB now is having a Malaysian as its CEO, we can only hope for the best for the airline. Perhaps it is the best time for everyone in the airline to think of what will be the best solution for the company to be profitable.

Sources

How JAL proposes to turn around Malaysia Airlines – Focus Malaysia

9M-MRD Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777-200 (C) Chenhaoyang, Planespotters.net

This timeline page lists events that happened in relation to Malaysia Airlines Flight MH 17. All times are in Malaysian Standard Time (MST) – GMT +08:00.

Thursday, July 17th

6:00 PM: Scheduled time of departure of Malaysia Airlines (MAS) flight MH17, a Boeing 777, from Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport.
Malaysia Airlines Logo
6.15 PM: MH17 departs from Amsterdam, the Netherlands, carrying 280 passengers and 15 crew.
10.15 PM: MAS confirms it received notification from Ukrainian Air Traffic Control (ATC) that it had lost contact with MH17 at 30km from Tamak waypoint, approximately 50km from the Russia-Ukraine border.
11.30 PM: MH17 presumably crashes. MAS releases official tweet,“Malaysia Airlines has lost contact of MH17 from Amsterdam. The last known position was over Ukrainian airspace. More details to follow.”
11.40 PM: Moscow based news agency Interfax says Malaysian passenger airliner was shot down at altitude of 10 km above Eastern Ukraine.
- > They confirmed the location of a burning Malaysian plane in Eastern Ukraine.
- > The Ukrainian Interior Ministry also confirmed that all passengers and crew are dead. The aircraft was “shot down” while cruising at an altitude of 30,000ft.
- > Igor Strelkov, the military commander of pro-Russia separatists, posted on social media shortly before MH17’s crash that rebel forces had brought down an Antonov An-26, an aircraft commonly used by Ukrainian forces, in the same area.

Friday, July 18th

12.03 AM: Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk orders an investigation into the crash.
12.05 AM: Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak tweets, “I am shocked by reports that an MH plane crashed. We are launching an immediate investigation.”
12.18 AM: Ukrainian officials at the location of the crash confirm at least 100 bodies are found at the location and that body parts were scattered up to 15km from the site.
12.30 AM: Both Ukrainian authorities and rebel leaders deny shooting down MH17. A ground-to-air missile was the suspected to have brought down the aircraft.
- > Russian President Vladimir Putin is in contact with United States president Barack Obama on the crash, according to RIA news agency.
12.45 AM: Location of the crash site was revealed to be the settlement of Grabovo in the Donetsk region.
2.10 AM: At least four French nationals were onboard MH17, says French foreign minister Laurent Fabius.
2.28 AM: Interfax reports that Pro-Russian separatists claim to have found MH17’s black box.
4.15 AM: The aircraft’s flight route was declared safe by the International Civil Aviation Organisation and the International Air Transportation Association stated that the airspace the aircraft was traversing was not subject to restrictions, says Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak at a press conference.
- > MAS confirms no distress call was made by MH17, he says.
- > According to information provided by Kiev Air Traffic Control, the location of the plane’s emergency locator beacon is 48 degrees 7 minutes and 23 seconds North; and 38 degrees 31 minutes and 33 seconds East.
- > Ukrainian authorities believe that the plane was shot down. However, Malaysia is unable to verify the cause of this tragedy, says Najib.
- > Malaysia will endeavour to “find out precisely what happened to this flight” and promises that any perpetrators will be brought to justice.
- > Government is dispatching a special flight to Kiev, carrying a special Malaysian disaster assistance and rescue team as well as a medical team.
- > Emergency operations centres have been established and Malaysian officials are in constant contact with counterparts in Ukraine and elsewhere, says the Prime Minister.
- > Ukraine President Petro Poroshenko has pledged that there will be a full, thorough and independent investigation, says Najib.
- > Ukraine will negotiate with rebels in the east of the country in order to establish a humanitarian corridor to the crash site.
6.10 AM: Crashed MH17 scheduled to arrive in Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), Malaysia.
7.30 AM: MAS says that all its flights to and from Europe will take alternative routes to avoid the usual path where flight MH17 went down in eastern Ukraine.
7.30 AM: MAS confirms that MH17 was carrying a total of 298 people – 283 passengers, including three infants of various nationalities, and 15 Malaysian crew members – and not 295, as previously reported.

Friday, August 22nd (First Group)

9.54 AM: Special MAS plane carrying the remains of 20 Malaysian victims of MH17 tragedy landed at KLIA.
Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Main Terminal Building
10.22 AM: First two coffins carrying MAS crew, Mastura Mustafa and Ahmad Hakimi Hanapi brought out of special aircraft.
10.54 AM: Malaysia observed a one-minute silence as a mark of respect for Malaysian victims in MH17 tragedy.
10.58 AM: Hearses carrying 20 MH17 victims passes the special tent of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
11.08 AM: Remains of MH17 victims, Ariza Ghazalee and son, Muhammad Afif Thambi flown by army aircraft to Kuching.
12.10 PM: An EC725 helicopter carrying remains of Mohd Ali Md Salim arrives at National Youth Skills Institute (IKBN), Pagoh.
12.20 PM: Remains of two MAS employees, Nur Shazana Mohamed Salleh and Ahmad Hakimi Hanapi arrives at Putra Mosque, Putrajaya.
12.30 PM: Funeral prayers at Putra Mosque, Putrajaya led by Federal Territory Mufti, Dr Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri.
12.35 PM: Remains of MH17 passenger Noor Rahimmah Mohd Nor and crew member Chong Yee Pheng transported by vans to their family residences in Tambun and Taman Pertama, Ipoh.
12.35 PM: RMAF helicopter carrying remains of MH17 crew Azrina Yakob arrives at Tekah airport, Assam Kumbang, Taiping.
12.35 PM: The remains of Foo Ming Lee arrives at Nirvana Memorial Centre in Jalan Sungai Besi for religious ceremony.
12.50 PM: The remains of MH17 stewardess Dora Shahila Kassim arrives at At-Taqwa Mosque, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, KL.
12.50 PM: The remains of Paul Rajasingam/Sivagnanam and Mabel Anthony Samy arrives at Nirvana Memorial Centre, Sungai Besi.
1:00 PM: The remains of stewardess Hamfazlin Sham Mohamed Arifin arrives at her family house in Wangsa Maju; prayers held at Usamah Bin Zaid Mosque.
1:00 PM: The remains of two MAS employees, Nur Shazana Mohamed Salleh and Ahmad Hakimi Hanapi arrives at Putrajaya Muslim cemetery for burial.
1:00 PM: Remains of MAS stewardess Angeline Premila Rajandaran arrive at family home in Bukit Tinggi, Klang.
1:00 PM: Ashes of Elisabeth Ng Lyeti arrive at Xiao En Bereavement Care in Jalan Kuari, Cheras.
1:20 PM: Funeral prayers for MH17 passenger Noor Rahimmah Mohd Noor led by Manjoi State Assemblyman Muhammad Ziad Zainal Abidin conducted at family home; prayers held again after Friday prayers at Al-Amin Mosque, Tambun, Ipoh.
1:30 PM: Remains of MH17 crew, Nur Shazana Mohamed Salleh buried at Muslim cemetery in Precinct 20, Putrajaya.
2:20 PM: Prayers for remains of MAS stewardess, Hamfazlin Sham Mohamed Arifin at Usamah Zaid Mosque before being laid to rest at Batu Muda Muslim cemetery, Gombak.
2:22 PM: Aircraft carrying remains of Ariza Ghazalee and son, Muhammad Afif Tambi arrives at Kuching RMAF base.
2:26 PM: Vehicle carrying remains of Mohd Ali Md Salim arrives at family home in Kampung Jayor, Pagoh.
2:30 PM: Remains of MH17 crew Azrina Yakob arrives at Al-Hidayah Mosque cemetery, Assam Kumbang, Taiping.
2:40 PM: Remains of Hamfazlin Sham Mohamed Arifin arrives at Raudhatul Sakinah KL-Karak Muslim cemetery, Taman Batu Muda, Gombak.
2:40 PM: Remains of MAS stewardess, Dora Shahila Kassim arrives at Bukit Kiara Muslim cemetery, KL.
3:00 PM: Remains of MAS chief stewardess, Mastura Mustafa laid to rest at Paroi Muslim cemetery, Negeri Sembilan.
3:10 PM: Remains of Flight MH17 co-pilot Ahmad Hakimi Hanapi laid to rest at Putrajaya Muslim cemetery.
3:10 PM: The remains of Hamfazlin Sham Mohamed Arifin buried at Raudhatul Sakinah KL-Karak Muslim cemetery, Taman Batu Muda, Gombak.
3:10 PM: The remains of MH17 crew, Dora Shahila Kassim laid to rest at Bukit Kiara Muslim cemetery, Damansara.
3:30 PM: The remains of MH17 passenger Noor Rahimmah Mohd Nor laid to rest at Kampung Masjid Lama cemetery, Tambun, Ipoh.
3:36 PM: The remains of MH17 stewardess Azrina Yakob buried at Al-Amin Mosque cemetery, Assam Kumbang, Taiping.
3:45 PM: The remains of Hasni Hardi Parlan laid to rest at 8th Mile Muslim cemetery, Kampung Paya Luas in Segamat.
4:10 PM: Remains of Mohd Ali Md Salim buried at Kampung Raja Muslim cemetery, Pagoh.
5:00 PM: Remains of Ariza Ghazalee and son Muhammad Afif Tambi laid to rest at Ssmariang Muslim cemetery, Petrajaya.
Remains of couple, Paul Rajasingam/Sivagnanam and Mabel Anthony Samy kept at Nirvana Memorial Park, Sungai Besi and will be brought back to their house in Bangsar tomorrow.
Remains of Chong Yee Pheng placed at her family house in Taman Pertama, Ipoh for two days of religious ceremonies before being buried at Paradise Memorial Park, Jalan Chemor, Tanjung Rambutan at 1pm on Sunday.
The remains of Ng Qing Zheng kept for one night at Nirvana Memorial Park, Sungai Besi before being brought home in Kota Kemuning tomorrow.
The remains of Foo Ming Lee given religious rites for two days at Nirvana Memorial Park, Sungai Besi while the cremation of remains will be conducted at the Nirvana Memorial Park, in Shah Alam.
The ashes of Lee Hui Pin are kept for two days at her residence in Subang Jaya before being buried at Nilai Memorial Park, Negeri Sembilan on Sunday morning.
Ashes of MH17 passenger, Elisabeth Ng Lyeti kept at the Xiao En Bereavement Centre in Cheras until the remains of two more family members are brought home.

Saturday, August 23rd

The ashes of passenger Karamjit Singh Karnail Singh are immersed in sea off Port Klang.

Sunday, August 24th (Second Group)

8:28 AM: MAS aircraft carrying remains of three more Malaysian victims of MH17 tragedy arrive at Bunga Raya Complex at KLIA, for a ceremony to honour MH17 victims.
Only the remains of two victims are involved in the ceremony.
8:37 AM: The coffins carrying the remains of MH17 chief steward Mohd Ghafar Abu Bakar and passenger Ng Shi Ing are brought out of the plane.
8:41 AM: A one-minute silence observed as mark of respect for the remains of MH17 tragedy victims upon arrival at KLIA.
9:41 AM: Urn containing ashes of Ng Shi Ing arrives at Xiao En Bereavement Care, Cheras.
9:50 AM: Hearse carrying remains of Mohd Ghafar Abu Bakar arrives at family home in Taman Bukit Indah, Ampang.
9:55 AM: Prayers held for Mohd Ghafar at his residence and later at Bukit Indah Mosque.
11:00 AM: Remains of Mohd Ghafar arrives at Mukim Ampang Satu Muslim cemetery, Taman Kosas, Ampang and laid to rest.
Ashes of Ng Shi Ing kept at Xiao En Bereavement Care in Cheras until remains of her son, Benjamin Lee Jian Han, one, are repatriated.

Tuesday, September 2nd (Third Group)

8:25 AM: Aircraft carrying remains of nine MH17 tragedy victims arrived at Bunga Raya Complex, KLIA.
8:44 AM: The coffins of MH17 captain Wan Amran Wan Hussin and passenger, Subashni Retnam taken out of aircraft.
8:58 AM: Prayers and a minute silence was held as a mark of respect for MH17 victims which arrived at Bunga Raya Complex.
9:00 AM: Nine hearses started leaving Bunga Raya Complex, KLIA for the respective destinations.
9:29 AM: Helicopter carrying the remains MH17 First Officer Muhd Firdaus Abdul Rahim departed Bunga Raya Complex, KLIA, for Teluk Intan, Perak.
9:30 AM: Helicopter carrying MH17 victims, Loh Yan Hwa and her Dutch husband, Fan Shun Po, departed for Bayan Lepas International Airport from KLIA.
10:15 AM: Helicopter carrying MH17 First Officer Muhd Firdaus Abdul Rahim landed in Teluk Intan, Perak.
10:20 AM: The remains of MH17 Captain Wan Amran Wan Hussin arrived at Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Mosque, Shah Alam for prayers.
10:25 AM: The ashes of MH17 pilot, Captain Eugene Choo Jin Leong arrived at his residence at Sri Carcosa, Seremban 2.
10:28 AM: The ashes of MH17 crew member Sanjid Singh Sandhu arrived at his in-laws home in Taman Skyline, Jalan Klang Lama.
10:45 AM: A Buddhist rite ceremony was held for the ashes of MH17 pilot Captain Eugene Choo Jin Leong at his residence in Sri Carcosa, Seremban 2.
10:45 AM: The remains of MH17 passengers Subashni Retnam, Paul Goes and
Kaelamayajay Goes arrived at Nirvana Memorial Park in Sungai Besi.
10:52 AM: Helicopter carrying the remains of MH17 passengers Loh Yan Hwa and her husband Fan Shun Po arrived at Penang International Airport.
11:06 AM: A minute of silence was observed as a mark of respect for the remains of two MH17 victims at DCA Square, Penang International Airport
11:50 AM: The remains of MH17 pilot, Captain Wan Amran Wan Hussin was laid to rest at Section 21 Muslim cemetery, Shah Alam.
12:00 PM: The remains of MH17 First Officer Muhd Firdaus Abdul Rahim was laid to rest at the Hilir Perak Muslim cemetery in Teluk Intan.
1:00 PM: The ashes of MH17 passengers Loh Yan Hwa and her husband Fan Shun Po were kept at the Kek Lok Si Memorial Hall, Air Itam.
2:08 PM: The helicopter carrying the ashes of MH17 steward Sanjid Singh Sandhu arrived at Bukit Mertajam.
2:30 PM: The ashes of MH17 steward Sanjid Singh Sandhu arrived at his family residence in Taman Kampung Selamat Alma, Bukit Mertajam and will be burial the next day.

September 9th (Fourth Group)

8:28 AM: Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 9M-MRN has brought back the bodies of Tambi Jiee and Benjamin Lee Jian Han.
8:37 AM: Coffin bearing the remains of victim Tambi Jiee was carried out of the aircraft.
8:40 AM: The coffin of victim Benjamin Lee Jian Han was carried out of the aircraft.
8:44 AM: Prayers and a minute of silence was observed as a mark of respect for the victims.
8:46 AM: The hearses carrying the remains of two MH17 victims left Bunga Raya Complex.
9:20 AM: Aircraft carrying the remains of Tambi Jiee left Bunga Raya Complex, KLIA for Kuching, Sarawak.
9:42 AM: The ashes of MH17 passenger Benjamin Lee Jian Han arrived at Xiao En Bereavement Care, Cheras.
11:45 AM: Aircraft carrying the coffin of MH17 victim Tambi Jiee arrived at Royal Malaysian Air Force base in Kuching, Sarawak.
2:30 PM: The remains of MH17 victim Tambi Jiee was laid to rest at the Muslim cemetery in Samariang.

September 19th (Fifth Group)

Sep 19th 2014: An MH 17 victim's coffin is being carried out from Flight MH 19 in Malaysia Airlines' Boeing 777-200, Registration 9M-MRN. Photo by Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM). — Sep 19th 2014: An MH 17 victim’s coffin is being carried out from Flight MH 19 in Malaysia Airlines’ Boeing 777-200, Registration 9M-MRN. Photo by Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM).

8:29 AM: Commercial aircraft carrying the remains of three MH17 Malaysian victims arrived at Bunga Raya Complex, KLIA.
8:40 AM: The first coffin bearing the remains of MH17 crew member Shaikh Mohd Noor Mahmood was brought out of the aircraft.
8:48 AM: A minute of silence was observed as a mark of respect for the victim.
8:51 AM: Hearse carrying the remains past by the tent of VIP guests and family members.
9:02 AM: The remains of siblings Muhammad Afzal Tambi and Marsha Azmeena were brought back to Kuching using a Charlie plane.
10:30 AM: The remains of Shaikh Mohd Noor Mahmood arrived at the Sultan Suleiman Mosque in Klang.
11:55 AM: The remains of MH17 crew, Shaikh Mohd Noor Mahmood was laid to rest at the Muslim cemetery in Klang.
The remains of siblings, Muhammad Afzal Tambi and Marsha Azmeena arrived at Kuching Jamek Mosque for prayers after Friday prayers.
2:25 PM: The remains of Afzal Tambi and Marsha Azmeena were laid to rest at the Muslim cemetery in Semarian after Friday prayers.

October 3rd (Sixth Group)

Oct 3rd 2014: An MH 17 victim's coffin is being carried out from Malaysia Airlines aircraft. Photo by Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) — Oct 3rd 2014: An MH 17 victim’s coffin is being carried out from Malaysia Airlines aircraft. Photo by Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM)

8:38 AM: Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777-200 (Registration 9M-MRN) carrying five more victims taxied to Bunga Raya Complex. Defence and Transport Minister were there to receive the remains. Coffin of Matthew Ezekial was the first to be brought out from the aircraft, followed by urns of Liew and Lee and coffins with remains of Muhammad Arfuz and Meling Mula.
8:58 AM: A minute of silence is observed.
9:43 AM: The coffin of Muhammad Afruz was flown in a C-130 aircraft to Kuching.
9:45 AM: Coffin of Meling is flown to Bintulu, Sarawak.

Source: The Star, Bernama, Bernama

Tag: Malaysia Airlines

Malaysia Airlines Possible Acquisition: Go or No-go?