Malaysia's Air Force One

Foreign Minister Dato’ Seri Mohd Rais Yatim made a statement that there will be fewer international meetings that will be attended by the Prime Minister this year. Only important meetings such as United Nations General Assembly, Meeting of Group of 8 and Organization of Islamic Countries meeting that the Prime Minister might attend. This means that the Prime Minister will travel abroad less frequently as compared to last year. At the same time the Prime Minister's Department, in giving a written reply to Dato’ Seri Hadi's question, the government spend close to RM790,000 in two weeks time.

This figure is nothing if the government cares to reveal the fix costs involved in maintains the fleet of jets. The five star A310 jet is being manned by pilots and cabin crew seconded by MAS. Although they don't fly, because the jets are on the ground, their salaries are still paid. When they fly they will get additional allowances. Since the foreign minister says that the Prime Minister will travel less abroad, they government should consider disposing off the plane. By disposing off the plane, the government can save substantial amount of money, and free the government of paying the crew, when they don't even fly. The maintenance cost is very high.

What has been incurred spent and mistakes made in the past over the purchasing of the plane are like water flowing in the river. We cannot get it back. What we can do now is to save whatever we can on the money that will be used to maintain the jet. The crew should return to their parent management and earn their pay on the job done. The country is facing real cash flow in the coming months as one economist sounded out that our inflation will be influenced by economic performance of our neighbors. So dispose off the jets, please, and save the money and spend on economic activity that can generate more income.