‘Mueller quit as he didn’t understand our work politics’

PKR lawmaker Tian Chua says the party had been against bringing in a foreigner to restructure the troubled national airline from the very beginning.

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia Airlines Bhd CEO and Managing Director Christoph Mueller resigned after failing to understand and withstand the pressure from Malaysian work politics, claimed PKR lawmaker Tian Chua today.

He said Mueller was brought in to rehaul the troubled carrier at a very critical time.

The Batu MP said from day one of the appointment, PKR had made known its stand that a foreigner should not be brought in to helm the national airline’s restructuring exercise.

“We advised the government to appoint Mueller as a consultant.

“It is unfair to bring in a foreigner at a critical time and ask him to turn around the national airline.

“How can he turn around the company if he does not understand Malaysian work politics?” Tian Chua told FMT.

He was asked on Mueller’s sudden announcement to resign before the contract ended in two years.

Mueller was appointed as MAB top honcho in the middle of last year to change things around and start fresh to make profits for the ailing company.

Malaysia Airlines said on Tuesday Mueller would leave his job in September, ahead of the end of his three-year contract, due to “changing personal circumstances”. He will remain a non-executive director.

Mueller, a turnaround veteran also called “The Terminator”, took office last May to oversee a USD1.56 billion overhaul that included axing 6,000 jobs and unprofitable routes.

The carrier recorded a profit in February, its first positive monthly result in years, and is on track to return to the black by 2018.

The Batu MP questioned the future of the national airline following Mueller’s sudden resignation.

Tian Chua asked for measures to stop leakages which Mueller had been trying to do.

“What will happen to the turnaround plan now? It has jeopardised the airline’s rescue plan.”

The German national had previously initiated turnarounds at Ireland’s Aer Lingus and Belgium’s Sabena.