Gov’t blames VIP jet’s Kazakh pitstop on weather

 Basically: What are the odds that bad weather forced the plane to land, of all places, the very same city that saw PM Najib Razak’s daughter’s wedding bash? Out of so many airports along the way, not to mention the number of airports in Kazakhstan itself?

Whatever the reason, it reeks of a personal stop. I’d think someone who had self-confessed immense wealth courtesy of the family riches, would at least buy one’s own plane ticket. How much can it possibly cost? Fly Airasia, if you’re not rich enough.

Xtcher: A check on the map showed that the aircraft had taken a rather unusual, longer and fuel-wasting route back to Kuala Lumpur from Malta. It could have taken the shorter route by heading south or southeast towards Saudi Arabia, then along the Gulf of Iran to head towards India or Pakistan and from there fly southeast to head for home (instead of going to Hamburg and then stopped for refuelling in Almaty).

It’ll need at most only one fuel-stop, or no stop at all if it is the normal ACJ320 plane.

Anti-Corruption: I am a senior captain in an international airline. I have flown this Southeast Asia-Europe non-stop route for the last 30-odd years. I have never had to fly over Chinese airspace on this route, due to weather, prevailing winds, etc.

We always route through Russian, Iranian, Middle Eastern or Afghan airspace. I am surprised the ACJ320 had to do a refuelling stop in Almaty. With its VIP configuration, it should be able to route Hamburg-Kuala Lumpur direct.

If it had to make a refueling stop, Phuket or Bangkok would have been more appropriate.

Wg321: Indeed, if you look at Google map, Kazakhstan is almost next to Mongolia. Why must the plane take the longest route to fly to Kuala Lumpur from Hamburg by flying to Almaty which is out of the way?

It is a sheer waste of our Goods and Services Tax (GST) money. The shortest route from Hamburg to Kuala Lumpur is via Dubai.

This is similar to Rosmah Mansor’s Christmas trip last year when she flew in the government plane 9M-NAA around the world from Kuala Lumpur to Hawaii, Los Angeles, Indianapolis, New York, London, Dubai, Bangkok, before returning to Kuala Lumpur. She behaved as though she is the prime minister.

Hearty Malaysian: Malaysia has reached such a pathetic state whereby the PM’s Department has to issue such laughable excuses to pacify the public outcries over various outrageous abuses.

Its credibility has reached so low that one wonders if the much-bloated PM’s Department is actually serving more for the PM’s extravagance than serving national needs.

Given such low credibility and unending controversies surround the current administration, it is only honourable for Najib to call for GE to have a referendum on his leadership.

Malaysia Ku: Even the weather favours the in-laws! So now anyone in Umno and their ‘guests’ can use the new jet? Really?

Bringon14: Of course, it was because of bad weather. What else could it have been? Surely it could not have been because the jet was involvoed in some private business, could it?

Vijay47: A flight was taken from Alor Setar to Langkawi? Why are you getting the Agong involved in your shenanigans, Najib? What next, fly from Kuala Lumpur to Putrajaya?

I note that the plane stopped in Kazakhstan for one hour for refuelling and due to “prevailing weather conditions”. So it looks like after the plane reached Almaty, the weather very kindly turned for the better.

Incidentally, who got off or boarded the plane in Almaty? Apart from the fuel pump attendant.

Haveagreatday: To put on airs and shows of glamour and luxury while asking the rakyat to tighten their belts is hardly good governance.

With the GST affecting the expenses of most wage earners, I believe as rakyat we have every right to demand that the government cut down on its extravagant expenditures.

PM: Jet upgraded for meetings on board

Wg321: The newly purchased Airbus ACJ320, which cost taxpayers RM465.4 million, is brand new. Just like a brand new car, the smell of a new plane is still there.

According to Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli, the interior is like a five-star hotel lobby. When the rakyat are suffering under the burden of GST and depreciating ringgit, why spend another RM28 million to upgrade it?

Even without the upgrading, it is still a luxury to hold any so-called official meetings in the new Airbus.

Saphire: Don’t compare Malaysia with more advanced countries. They can afford to have the best planes. But, for us, where most people are finding hard to make ends meet, to follow them would make you laughable and despicable.

Our neighbour who is much richer than us, does not have such an exclusive jet for its premier.

Ferdtan: Najib defended the government’s purchase and upgrade of the luxury jet for VIP use by saying it is needed for official meetings mid-flight. Impressive, very impressive indeed.
But how come when urgent and important issues affecting the country that needed the PM’s inputs, often nothing came out of his mouth? For example important matters such as hudud law, there is no conclusive reply from him on whether BN (or Umno) supported it?

Mid-flight meeting? My toes are laughing.

SteveOh: This is the most wasteful way of holding a meeting that I have ever come across. Totally unjustifiable. If every country adopts this approach, you can imagine what it will do to the planet.

Burning fuel and burning money when so many Malaysians don’t have decent basic necessities such as housing, clean water and power can’t be responsible governance.

The PM’s high costs of governance outweigh the benefits. The money could have been spent to benefit many needy Malaysians instead of on the PM’s preferred jet-setting workstyle.

There should be a transparent PM jet log detailing who uses the plane so the rakyat can decide if the jet has earned its keep.

Responsible governance will place the people’s needs before personal comforts and pleasure unbefitting the PM’s call for belt-tightening while he lives it up.

Is Malaysia that rich? Is keeping up appearances in the national interest? Is the PM in touch with the reality of struggling Malaysians?

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