Friday, October 10, 2014

The Fancy Flights of Our VIPs


A Kadir Jasin

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THE Malaysia Airlines System’s flight MH370 with 239 souls on board has been missing for seven months. The search for it has resumed in the Southern India Ocean.

For a plane that size – 73.9 metres (242 feet 4 inches) in length and 64.8 metres (212 feet 7 inches) wingspan – to go missing is mind-boggling.

And yet we have the technology to track down the private jet ferrying the Prime Minister, Mohd Najib Abdul Razak and his wife, Rosmah Mansor, to Indonesia and Singapore.

The DAP MP for Seremban, Loke Siew Fook, recently asked a question the Parliament based on this air tracking technology.

Loke cited not only the flight number (NR 1) but also the registration number of the aeroplane (9M-NAA) and the radar that tracked it (Flight Radar24).

9M-NAA, Airbus A319
Like a stalker of Hollywood celebs, Loke followed the progress of the fancy flight from KLIA to Padang and Singapore before returning to KLIA on Aug 27.

I am giving Loke the benefit of the doubt. I don’t think he was stalking the PM or his wife. Instead he was stalking for information so that he could ask an accurate question in the Parliament.

He asked the government to disclose the purpose of the flight, the cost involved and passengers on the airplane. My Internet search indicates that aircraft 9M-NAA is the RMAF Airbus A319.

Despite his thorough homework, Loke and the House received only a written reply from Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Shahidan Kassim, saying that the jetliner was on an official flight Singapore and was carrying Prime Minister, his wife and a government delegation.

"The flight is an official government flight which is used for the prime minister's affairs. All cost involving the flight is within a suitable estimation for the service," the defender said.

The flight, according to online media reports, was detected by flight trackers on the very same day that the PM’s wife received the highest Minangkabau official award in Padang, Indonesia.

Highest Minangkabau Award for Rosmah - Astro Awani
 I would like to thank Loke and aviation enthusiasts for their interest in tracking the movements of our VIP aircraft because, for a small nation, we have many expensive VIP aircraft.

One such enthusiast told me that our government (via TUDM) owns and operates nine VIP aircraft – fixed wing and rotor.

My Internet search of the RMAF confirmed that fact. The RMAF has in its inventory nine VIP transport aircraft – a Boeing Business Jet, a Bombardier Global Express, a Dassault Falcon 900, an Airbus A319, an ageing Fokker F28 Fellowship and two each of Sikorsky SH-3 Sea King and Sikorsky S-70 Black Hawk.

The Queen's official ride
The Queen of the UK and its realm has a much smaller fleet of VIP transport and they are older than our state-of-the-art fleet. More often than not she uses commercial flights, normally flying with British Airways.

Our VIPs know how to travel in great style and comfort.

Wallahuaklam.

24 comments:

tsyhll said...

Sakit kepala hari2 dengar cerita macam ni. I thought I already get used or immune with it, but no still the same.

The problem with our leaders is they think Malaysia revolves around them.

I think we better offer them chairmanship of GLC companies now and ask them to retire, because whatever they do from now on, you think they will take responsibilities in the years to come?

Great example is Pak Lah. Happily retiring after all the mess he created.

Mustapha Ong said...

Salam and a big TQ to my long time and dear friend Pak Kadir Jasin. There are a few points that I wish to post my comments relating to this posting:

1. Loke and many others including Anwar Ibrahim main tembak menembak aje...publicity more important than the facts of the issue;
2. Not only Loke is snorking at what PM dan Rosmah's movements, locally and overseas...their private home at Taman Duta dengan bukti gambar sekali untuk disebarkan melalui media sosial.
3. I don't any PM, including a Tun Mahathir and Pak
lah had abused their position as prime minister;
4. Most of the travelling locally and overseas are
officially related; most people don't know that Najib
Rosmah also travel by commercial aircrafts
aircrafts provided by the courtesy of their closed
friends;
5. We should compared our PM to that of other PMs
As our PMs are all Muslims and outspoken, and
therefore will post higher security risks when they
travel in commercial aircrafts when on official
duties or business.

wanitabukittinggi said...

Salam Datuk...

Gaya penulisan Dr M dan Datuk seakan-akan sama tapi tak serupa...
Pedas dan kena tepat pada sasaran.

Logiklah kupasan Datuk tu..dengan teknologi yang canggih sekarang ..mana munkin tidak dapat dikesan pesawat terbang dari mana dan singgah kemana?

Paling dangkal kita kena tipu hidup-hidup oleh mereka yang berkuasa.
Kemana perginya pesawat MH370 dan kenapa MH17 ditembak?

Kerajaan kita membuang masa dan wang mencari MH370...saya rasa tidak akan dijumpai sampai kucing bertanduk. Namun kalau saya silap ..Alhamdulillah la...

Ada pulak tiori pihak Ukraine tembak MH17 kerana fikirkan pesawat Pres.Putin. Itu semua alasan saja...hingga sekarang punca kemalangan masih tiori belaka.
Hairan tak Datuk sekiranya berlaku tembakan daripada ground to air missile sejauh 36,000-40,000kaki boleh meninggalkan secara jelas kesan tembakan peluru? Sudah pasti sasaran akan hancur berkecai tanpa meninggalkan kesan-kesan seperti yang kelihatan dalam liputan berita TV.
Pada pendapat saya ...tembakan seumpama itu adalah daripada jarak dekat.
Waullah hu'alam.

Zed-85 said...

Dato’

The perks enjoyed by VIP’s not only limited to Jets and Aircraft. In Johor, even the public park (Taman Merdeka) have dedicated parking slots for VIP.

I’ve read somewhere in the internet recently that this is the government of the top 20%, by the top 20% and for the top for 20%.

ismail muda said...

Sat lagi bajet 2015 akan dibentangkan. Kita sama2 tengok la Datuk berapa bajet utk PM office tahun ni. Jugak prog Permata, bajet Mindef & Dalam Negeri. Hanya yg arif saja tahu di mane tersoroknya bajet utk vvip...Harap2 bajet utk rakyat marhaen bukan diambil dari korek2 saki baki atau bahagian puntung rokok....

Vincent Ang said...

Mustapha Ong,

'Not only Loke is snorking at what PM dan Rosmah's movements, locally and overseas...." Snorking? En.Mustapha why be so crude? The government did not refute YB Loke. Obviously, YB Loke did his homework which is far better YB Bung who snorks at monthly issue of women.

Zaaba anak Sarawak said...

Tok Kadir,

Heard from the grapevine that Malaysia is looking at acquiring another jet for the VVIPs.

I cannot verify the accuracy. Maybe you could.

If I heard wrong, Alhamdulillah.
If I heard right... I am speechless!

awang batuburok said...

Salam Dato,

Apa yg berlaku sekarang ini adalah hasil dari "Tahalluf Siasi" antara pimpinan UMNO dan tauke tauke yg terdiri daripada kroni kroni mereka sejak tahun 1982.
Kegagalan projek penswastaan agensi agensi dan syarikat milik kerajaan telah menyebabkan rakyat menanggung segala hutang piutang yang dibuat oleh kerajaan.

Dalam suasana rakyat menanggung segala hutang dan kos pembaziran oleh para VVIP
mereka seronok terbang kesana kemari tanpa rasa bersalah sebesar kuman dengan alasan itu hak mereka yang dipilih oleh 47% pengundi dalam pru13 yg lalu.

Rakyat susah?.... itu kau orang punya pasal.

maae said...

Mereka hendak delegasi PM naik Nuri saja agak nya.... Dalam keadaan serba cukup, PM sebagai Duta No 1 Malaysia mesti berupaya sejajar pembangunan negara mempamerkan kemajuan yang kita perolehi. Tidak salah rasa nya. Membazir itu satu hal lain.

Semua Ketua Negara Dunia ingin Negara mereka setanding yang lain. Obama atau Presiden US dalam keadaan ekonomi terencat terpaksa juga dengan batalion keselamatan terbang ke sana kemari. Ada satu unit khas, apabila Presiden ini akan bergerak mengikut laluan, unit tersebut akan membuang segala rintangan kenderaan apa sahaja, di tarik dan di tunda, membuka laluan tanpa gangguan ! Jika di Malaysia, mungkin saja Anthony Loke melompat agak nya.

Mulut jahat, mata jahat dan perlakuan jahat, Umno dan Melayu juga akan menjadi sasaran mereka. Ini perang politik. Cuma Umno tidak pandai membalas. Jika peluru Umno di lepaskan, apa terjadi ?

Apa yang di lakukan LGE dan LKS baik belaka untuk si polan ini. Hipokrit dan musang berbulu ayam. Ini lah jenis manusia - suka mengata orang,
sebenar nya mereka yang terlebih-lebih....

salmanbukhari said...

Banyak sudah pendedahan dibuat samada oleh Datuk,Dr M atau dari sumber lain lagi.Dari pandangan yang neutral,kini berubah menjadi tidak puas hati dan berbulu.

Datuk,

Sudah agak lama dibiarkan kerajaan sekarang, sudah wajib untuk diganti dengan pemimpin baru.Semua ini hasil pendedahan tentang kelemahan pentadbiran kerajaan dan sikap tercela pemimpin sekarang ini.

Satu perkara lagi yang saya belum dapati sekarang ini,samada dari Datuk ataupun individu yang ada nama,bergerak atau memula langkah merubah keadaan ini

Saya rasakan tidak semua NGO semakan dengan Najib,pasti ada yang bersetuju jika NGO bergabung bertindak atas sebab tindakan kerajaan yang membodohkan rakyat ini.Bukti yang didedahkan sangat banyak dan makin menjadi jadi.

Bekas KPN,bekas hakim,bekas menteri,telahpun menyuarakan kesalahan kerajaan Najib melalui akhbar dan laman blog.Tidak cukupkah bukti untuk mendakwa kerajaan di mahkamah atau apa juga cara?

Kami rakyat marhaen ini tidak mampu berbuat apa apa selain menanti PRU 14.Sementara menunggu,berapa banyak lagi pendedahan yang akan Datuk,DR M dan orang lain buat?

Kami hanya mampu mengeji,mencaci,merendam kemarahan setiap hari.Siapa antara kalangan kenamaan melayu memulakan langkah perubahan ini?Datuk dan rakan rakan tentu lebih maklum.



Kampong man said...

Salam Dato,

1.It was a pleasure to have met you by chance for the first time at KLIA last week on wednesday.Coincidently , i was with your wifey on the same tour group of Uzbekistan. Most enjoyed it thoroughly and your wifey must have some ideas and finally discovered about who this controversial , colorfull but certainly friendly and resourceful Kampong man is.Hehe...

2.I have not commented in your blog for long but i do occasionally enjoyed reading the articles and the usual comments as well.

3.Whilst i do understand your obsession, on many occasions, to write about Najib and Rosmah here i choose not to provide comments further because many have said their peace everywhere.He will remain our PM until next GE for sure.On positive note Najib too has contributed immensely to the country wellbeings and the people as well.This has not much been highlighted here though.It is good to be critical.I think it is important for Najib to focus more on national unity and nationsl integration.Try to convince the 'nons' that they have a place here in Malaysia and that money is not everything though it is important.

3.Meanwhile,the focus surely will be on the budget.Perhaps this will be your next article. Have a good weekend and our salam to Datin.Thank you.

Joe Black said...

Dato'

Yang betul betul faham secara mendalam akan politik diMalaysia bukan rakyat atau Pembesar Pembesar Malaysia tetapi Bekas Perdana Menteri Singapura Lee Kuan Yew.

Beliau terus membuat perjumpaan dengan Rosmah sebaik sahaja beliau tiba diMalaysia kerana beliau tahu dimana letaknya kuasa ghaib sebenarnya diMalaysia.

ismail muda said...

Wah ! Rm711 million allocation for early childhood education Permata etc. Only rm25 mil for SAR... Bagus la...
Bole jugak pemimpin kita bwak bersama anak2 ke luar negara bertukar2 pendedahan pengalaman...

A KADIR JASIN said...

MH370: Fate of missing Malaysia Airlines plane is suspicious, says Sir Tim Clark.

Sir Tim Clark, who has been the head of Emirates Airline since 1985, said in his Spiegel interview that “our experience tells us that in water incidents, where the aircraft has gone down, there is always something.” But so far no signs of the missing plane have been found at all.

For more, read at http://www.examiner.com/article/mh370-fate-of-missing-malaysia-airlines-plane-is-suspiciou

Thank you.

Arunzab said...

Yg Bhg Datuk,
This article is specially painful for me to read. I was a soldier serving in the army when the the North South Highway was being built. One of my soldier suffered seriously head injury when huge branch fell on him during a thunder storm. I radioed for helicopter for medical evacuation (medicvac ) . It took 3 hrs to get clearance for the flight. And then 10 minutes into the flight from Pengkalan Chempa the soldier had passed away and I radioed back with the news and was told the helicopter was ordered to turn back. Apparently the army has a rule where road is available the dead body has no more priority for medicvac . I then drove the deceased soldier by L/ Rover to KB hospital and after the formalities drove back all the way back to my Camp at Seberang Takir Trengganu. The same night then drove by 3 ton truck to his Kg in Jerantut for burial. Yet I know of a state assembly in Pahang who died after a long illness in GH KL whose body was flown by helicopter to his Kg in Dong Raub for burial. I suppose this Greek is right about politicians.

Those who are too smart to engage in politics are punished by being governed by those who are dumber.
~Plato, ancient Greek Philosopher








PENGUNDI AMPANG said...

Datuk Akj,

Di antara bait-bait sajak Allahyarham WS Rendra:

Di lorong gelap orang jual badan
agar mulutnya tersumpal makan
di hotel yang mewah isteri guru jual badan
agar pantatnya diganjal sedan

safiai saad said...

Salam Sdr Kadir, Let us be the third world nation with the first world mentality.
We should not harbor bona fide soul in attacking the person without much evidence. Just inneuendo, trying to potray the person in bad light. Please no Burok sangka to our fellow citizen.Dr mahathir travel more than any other leaders even to South Pole, nobody make noise or even lift a finger.
Our DAP friend will do his job in the name of duty, human right,transparency,budget inappropriation and what ever.Let him do it but we should not fell into his trap. To him Lim Kit Siang and Lim Guan Eng is the best leader. We respect his position.
We must focus on other bigger challenges that face malaysia, far too many to list. Even our budget.....cant do much to overcome our rising cost of living.
If you watch Asro awani. you will see that their shows does not give much help to overcome our fundamental problem i.e. rising cost of living.
So sdr Kadir let us tell the government that they need to work hard, regarding Rosmah..emm, I do hope Umno will have to call spade is a spade.Not much protocol,humility,politeness can avoid this fact.
Thanks Kadir for your well written work but a bit invasive. Salam

A KADIR JASIN said...

Sdr Safiai Saad, among other things, said: "Thanks Kadir for your well written work but a bit invasive."

1. It my intention to be invasive. As citizens, voters and taxpayers, it's our unalienable right to be invasive - to dissect what our elected representatives are doing with OUR time and OUR money.

2. When Dr M became PM in 1982, there was only one outdated private jet to be shared among the VIPs, including the King.

3. He often had to hire or accept the use of private jets belonging to our businessmen.

4. It was not a very dignified situation and subjected the PM to accusation that he was being taken for a ride by businessmen, literally.

5. So a couple of us Editors brought this to his attention and with the involvement of Daim and Anwar, we suggested that the PM should be provided with a private jet.

6. During Dr M's time, the Boeing Business Jet did not belong to the Government or RMAF. It belonged to the privatized MAS.

7. The recent Auditor General Report showed that the government spent RM100.47 Million from 2010 to 2013 on private jets.

8. Based on the report, it shows that the the government had spend about RM86.4 Million on the private jet rentals, RM16.515 Million on maintenance and RM3.32 Million on refurbishing. An estimated RM44.02 million was spent on the PM’s overseas travel alone since 2008. The report was revealed by Minister in Prime Minister’s Department, Shahidan Kassim, in Parliament.

Thank you.

msh said...

Salam Dato.

Kalau seorg pekerja atau penjawat awam itu akur dgn apa yg dikatakan pembaziran....lebih2 lagi duit syarikat atau kerajaan...dia akan sentiasa membuat perhitungan atau timbang tara...dgn apa saja pembelanjaan yg dilakukan......samada perlu...wajar atau pun tidak.

Kalau lapuran yg diberi oleh Pejabat PM bahawa jumlah perbelanjaan adalah sebanyak + - RM150 juta untuk sewa...penjagaan...ubahsuai dalaman...dan kos perjalanan dsb nya dgn mengguna private jet oleh Najib sejak 6 tahun lepas....ianya adalah lebih kurang RM25 juta 1 tahun.

Persoalan nya;

# Adakah ini dikira terlalu tinggi? Jika tinggi...dibandingan dgn apa?

# Adakah ini suatu pembaziran?

# Adakah ini wajar dan perlu untuk Ketua No 1 menikmati nya...demi menjaga status atau imej dikaca mata dunia....kerana Najib mewakili negara.

dsb...

Untuk bersikap adil terhadap Najib dlm membuat apa2 'judgement' mengenai perkara ini....banyak perkara yg kita atau rakyat perlu ambil kira seperti...

Dgn adanya jet peribadi ini;

# Banyak masa yg boleh dijimatkan...dan banyak kerja boleh dikakukan.

# Kemudahan untuk bergerak dari satu tempat kesatu tempat...'covenient'

# Memberi imej yg lebih baik pd beliau sesuai dgb status sbgai PM dan juga pd negara.

Tetapi kalau sekadar menunjuk2 dan bermegah2 serta mengambil peluang.. bak kata org..."sambil menyelam minum air".. berkerja sambil berseronok menikmati kemewahan ...walhal semua yg dibelanjakan
adalah hak kerajaan semata2...memang dikira tidak wajar...lebih2 lagi kos nya RM25 juta 1 tahun....bukan sedikit tu.

Tetapi Najib tentu lebih tahu dan arif samada apa yg dibelanjakan ini akan mendatangkan hasil atau pulangan pd negara dari sudut ekonomik.

Ini kerana kerajaan mesti bertanggung jawab didlm perkara2 tentang ketirisan...pembaziran...penjimatan dsb terutama pula ekonomi negara masih lagi berada dlm keadaan yg tidak menentu.....
Hata....pengurangan subsidi petrol telah dilakukan...serta arahan2 dari kerajaan sendiri agar penjimatan disektor awam dilakukan seperti penjimatan pengunaan utiliti....mengurangkan ubahsuai pejabat....mengurangkan kerja2 keraian...dan penjimatan2 lain.

Rakyat juga sudah tidak boleh menerima segala apa pembaziran oleh sektor awam kerana ini memang memberi impak kepada mereka....dan Najib pun tahu tentang kesusahan yg rakyat hadapi...sebab itu BRIM diteruskan malah ditambah lagi.

Jawapan tetap berada pd Najib.

Tetapi....dlm keadaan kesusahan dan kepayahan yg dialami oleh mungkin lebih dari 60% penduduk negara (17 juta)....sy beranggapan apa alasan yg diberi pun masih tidak wajar bagi Najib bersikap begini....yg kelihatan agak boros dlm membelanja duit kerajaan.

Ingatkah bahawa anda bukan sahaja dinilai dgn cakap tetapi lebih kpd perbuatan...dan sekadar mengabui mata rakyat dgn BRIM masih dikira belum mencukupi.

Segala apa contoh dan komitmen kearah penjimatan disektor awam perlu bermula dgn anda....

Tetapi kini tindak tanduk anda kelihatan seperti ....'do what i ask you to do but don't do what i do'....atau pun 'I can do what i want to do because i am the boss'.

Terima kasih

zainal abidin awang kechik said...

Saya baru beli satu tok G650s..Bulan January 2015 sampai
Nanti kita pi Jalan jalan tok

A KADIR JASIN said...

Pembahas zainal abidin awang kechik (nama sebenar)berkata:"Saya baru beli satu tok G650s..Bulan January 2015 sampai Nanti kita pi Jalan jalan tok."

Jangan lawak Nal, Gulfstream 650 bukan sekupang dua.

Harga di Amerika antara AS$60 juta dan AS$66 juta. Duit kita dekat RM200 juta tu!

Saya la ni naik Firefly, Air Asia dan Emirates saja. Murah dan mampu. Tu pun tak selalu.

Nal pi Haji lagi ka baru-baru ni?

Terima kasih.

zainal abidin awang kechik said...

Demi Allah yang memberi rezeki tok...
Segala gala hak Allah ..InsyaAllah
Awal tahun Tahun 2015 sampai..
G650s

otoote said...

salam dato
Bala Allah datang dalam berbagai bentuk.....kadang kadang dalam bentuk pemimpin yg sebegini.

Anonymous said...

Security? Don't bluf bro.

About Me

My photo
I was born in 1947 in Kedah. I came from a rice farming family. I have been a journalist since 1969. I am the Editor-in-Chief of magazine publishing company, Berita Publishing Sdn Bhd. I was Group Editor NST Sdn Bhd and Group Editor-in-Chief of NSTP Bhd between 1988 and 2000. I write fortnightly column “Other Thots” in the Malaysian Business magazine, Kunta Kinte Original in Berita Harian and A Kadir Jasin Bercerita in Dewan Masyarakat. Books: Biar Putih Tulang (1998), Other Thots – Opinions & Observations 1992-2001 (2001), The Wings of an Eagle (2003), Mencari Dugalia Huso (2006), Damned That Thots (2006), Blogger (2006), PRU 2008-Rakyat Sahut Cabaran (2008), Komedi & Tragedi-Latest in Contemporary Malaysian Politics (2009) and Membangun Bangsa dengan Pena (2009).