Now, AirAsia chief says sorry to Utusan over “racist” remark

Kamarudin Meranun is now the first executive chairman of AirAsia. - The Malaysian Insider pic by Afif Abd Halim, November 8, 2013.In a volte face, AirAsia's new executive chairman Datuk Kamarudin Meranun has apologised to Utusan Malaysia over his colleague's remarks that the Umno-owned daily was racist in its election coverage last May.

The Malay-language newspaper quoted Kamarudin as saying that he had written to apologise for AirAsia X chief executive Azran Osman Rani's remarks. AirAsia X chairman Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz had previously said Azran's views are his own and Malaysians should be allowed to express their views.

"In all honesty, as a representative of AirAsia, I had written to the Utusan group editor to express our disappointment over Azran's actions which were unexpected," Kamarudin was quoted as saying in the Utusan report.

Calls made to AirAsia to verify Kamarudin's comments to Utusan have not been answered.

Azran had criticised Utusan in his Twitter microblogging account for what he reportedly saw as a racial instigation in the aftermath of the May 5 general elections.

He was also reported to have criticised Malay group Perkasa for its hardline stance as an irrelevent organisation that had caused Malays to be myopic.

But Kamarudin told the newspaper that no action was taken against Azran as he should be allowed to learn from the experience.

"Azran is still Air Asia X chief executive officer and has been advised to separate his political stand from work," said Kamarudin, who became the budget carrier's first executive chairman two days ago.

Kamarudin and his partner Tan Sri Tony Fernandes own Tune Air Sdn Bhd, which is a major shareholder in Asia's biggest budget carrier, AirAsia.

The AirAsia group includes operations in Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines and soon in India, apart from the long-haul airline AirAsia X. It recently stopped a partnership in Japan.

The Utusan report today also quoted Kamarudin as criticising government-linked-companies which had to be told to advertise in Malay dailies, adding he was embarrassed that it had come to the point where even the leadership had to appeal for advertisements to be placed in these dailies.

"It is even more embarrassing when Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak himself has to appeal to these companies.

"We at AirAsia will continue to place advertisements in Malay dailies, especially Utusan Malaysia. Undoubtedly, we also need your support as Utusan's role is very important," he said.

When officially opening Utusan's new headquarters on September 13, Najib had said newspaper companies cannot rely solely on circulation to stay in business and that advertising was needed to keep the 75-year-old newspaper afloat.

Utusan had said it would not accept advertisements from AirAsia unless Azran apologised for his remarks. But the AirAsia X chief executive has not done so.