Thursday, December 09, 2010

To whom it may concern: This is not about you

F 1MALAYSIA. My latest column in The Malay Mail talks about the Lotus vs Lotus affair. Why Proton has decided to enter the Formula One fray when there are already two Malaysian teams - Petronas and Team Lotus/Lotus Racing - is the question Malaysians will be asking. Is this about ego or putting the country on the map and the podium?

Read "This is NOT about you".


Special thanks to Art Harun for his quotable tweets.

21 comments:

  1. Rocky,Financially,Proton is very sick. The reason they use the Chassis from Mitsubishi for the Inspira is because they do not have the RM 700 million to develop a new engine.

    But now they want to take part in F1 when they do not have money to develop new cars.

    This is all very confusing and do not be surprised after one year we need to bail Proton with taxpayers money again.

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  2. Time for new Proton Chairman perhaps.

    The Talent Corporation should start the ball rolling, get Hassan Marican back from overseas and make him new Executive Chairman of Proton. He will know what to do with Proton and Group Lotus.

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  3. "This is not about you" - you are very right about the need for us (Malaysia) to consolidate Datuk but we know Air Asia's Tony all too well. His arrogance (although he seems to be smiling all the time) knows no bounds. He treats everything in this country and beyond like his own bloody century old asset and behave as though it his his birthright to push others aside. We agree all about his creativity, innovation n all da bla bla bla but Tony is one ungrateful human being who would do anything..I mean ANYTHING to get things done.
    I lost my respect for him when he bulldozed through (with the help of the notorious 4th floor boys) and got hold of the Rural Air Services in Sarawak n Sabah.
    Idris Jala would be able to tell you more about Tony pertaining this saga. Tony didnt give a damn about the rural folks nor did he have any qualms about cannibalising the aircrafts to prevent spending the millions in government subsidy.
    This guy is a bloody parasite. Everyone knows his long standing feud with MAB and his refusal to pay the servuce charge. Tony behaves as though we bloody owe him a living.
    He even wanted an airport to call his own, remember Datuk?
    To sum it all up, I think Tony Fernandez could go fly kites n not cry like a baby if Proton wants to get into F1.
    This ungrateful guy is not only not thankful for being able to use the LOTUS name but he has tried to bite da hand that has fed him with the brand name.
    On 1Malaysia Datuk, Tony n gang shud have thought abt this before going in to rival Petronas because Petronas was already representing Malaysia then ... the ony ONE from Malaysia.
    Its too late to stop the competition now, afterall Tony loves being competitive doen't he?

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  4. Anonymous5:24 am

    1Lotus and 2F1 Teams. What is more Malaysian than this? This is a congenital Malaysian sickness.

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  5. charleskiwi8:22 am

    Since shenanigan Mahathir is still very much alive and offers solution for everything and in every field, Proton should appoint him as the big chief of the company. That would solve all their woes and become the success of the country.

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  6. Anonymous8:48 am

    ... just like a child that wouldn't grow up. Even Ford is not into F1 as they are actually using people's money, until they can stand on their own two feet. This child has out grown it's own financial need to be clinging on a life buoy all the time ...

    ... and a great weekend to you Tok Rocky ...

    ~ TecBoy ~

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  7. This is all about ego. The Group CEO of Lotus, Danny Bahar wants his own show and can't stand sharing or even being behind Tony Frenandes' light. Although I am not a fan of Tony - one thing is that the guy does show conviction and works damn hard to make a success of his ventures.

    As for Proton - they still are clueless about turning Lotus around with their new CEO making grand plans about going beyond F1 into Indycar as well as developing full range of cars to challenge Ferrari.
    My question is who is going to foot the bill? Proton only survives due to protectionist policy and is in a poor finanical position. Thus bailout by taxpayer seems likely sooner or later.

    Malaysia and particularly Proton is now a laughing stock in F1.

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  8. Anonymous9:34 am

    Through F1...

    ...Petronas wants to promote is fuels and oils.

    ...T.Fernandez wants to promote Air Asia, Tune Hotel/Group and whatever products and services he has to offer.

    ...Naza wants to promote its badge for its products (and even services).

    ...Proton doing the same as Naza.

    So, LET THEM DO IT! They are free to choose which team they want to be with.

    Those guys with Proton, Renault and Genii already explained what the Proton-Renault-F1 synergy is about.

    You can complaint, nag and yap yap yap all you want. Nothing's going to happen.

    Just sit back, tune in to Astro channel 813 and enjoy the spectacle (soon)! Haha!!!

    - Azlan.

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  9. Skilgannon10664:39 pm

    I suppose that some "egos" out there couldn't stomach the way that Tony F is staying in the limelight. So, take him down a peg or two, lah!

    Maybe the next move would be for certain quarters to rubbish Forbes Asia magazine for selecting Tony F as Asian Businessman of the Year. What would a "farang" publication know about things Malaysian?

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  10. Those legs are made for walking and one day they will walk all over you....boom boom boom boom boom....hahahahahahaha
    Petronas and Team Lotus ?...who cares....but I heard Fernandez won a bet and Virgin Airline Boss..need to be a stewardess in an Air Asia flight..for one day.

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  11. Sick malaysian ( ? ) indeed...

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  12. Anonymous3:38 am

    tak envy langsung depa2 ni semua. Menyampah lagi ada.

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  13. najib manaukau7:56 am

    Can we afford even one team !
    This is typical of Malaysia boleh attitude when Singapore has so much in their reserve is no even talking or thinking of having one team or for that matter Hong Kong, China or Taiwan !
    Don't have the same mentality of this Air Asia CEO who said he Air Asia would buy SIA some day and also an English football club just to show the world that he has a made a few dollars, when in reality he is a bloody show off and can't even buy a part of a SIA aircraft not to mention the entire company not even Silk Air !

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  14. Anonymous1:35 pm

    Good one, Bru.... time to take down these corporate leaders. The problem started when these political and corporate raiders were given free hand and we rakyat condone all these rape and robberies. No more!

    More Pekung to surface!!

    GOBLOG.

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  15. Anonymous7:01 pm

    When we talk about proton, you can see their latest car model on malaysian road .. huh make me sick siapa yang pilih model buruk macam tu. I don't want to comment on buying Lotus or F1, tapi kalau buat kreta tak cantik siapa mahu beli beb, kuli ladang getah layak lah

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  16. Seolferwulf9:51 pm

    najib m

    Do I detect in yr comments some subtle praise for Singapore?

    Gadzooks! The likes of Perwira, anti hindraf and Warrior 231 will be spinning on their axles!

    As for the remarks about Tony F, I don't recall him having ever said anything about buying Singapore Airlines. Kindly quote the relevant references, please.

    Now MAS...that's a different kettle of fish...

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  17. Anonymous10:18 am

    huh see the model in the picture with a big bumper

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  18. Lotus is Proton!4:50 pm

    The average Malay knows that it is not right that the LOTUS highly technical brand should be given to promote an Indian businessman whose greed knows now bound.

    Proton is a national company so why should it allows only an Indian to benefit from its very valuable assets. All these while the Lotus ride has been Proton selling point suddenly it has been given away for free to that Indian guy. The one who Abdullah Badawi made an airport for. Why is UMNO promoting Indian businessmen? Ananda with satellite monopoly and cellular and Astro?

    For all that Fernandz did it was for his own profit. We do not want Indians to profit from national assets as this is against the Federal Constitution and Malays themselves deserves the benefit.

    Thus it is right that PROTON got itself involves with Lotus image as they are a car manufacturer and it is more logical to use their brand to promote Proton rather than than to allow Lotus to promote Airasia or an Indian ego.

    The high profile Indian ego will only encourage Hindraf to ask for more from the Malays the latest being to be declared bumiputeras too!

    So UMNO should be more competent and tactically aware of their kindness that will only destroy the nation order and Malayness of MAlaysia.

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  19. Anonymous6:37 pm

    of course this is not about you- rakyat.never was.Its about a bunch of filthy (no pun intended) rich guys trying to jack up their ego and bank accounts further while calling it *for Msia*. Hanya mainan utk selected pehak yg berupaya. Semua pon pre-fixed.Dah tk syok lagi FI masa kini pon.

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  20. Anonymous5:50 pm

    Rocky,
    If i may suggest, let Team Lotus be while Group Lotus is, also why not DrM play chairman role in Proton and let the current guy be at BAM. BAM NEEDS CARE TOO!
    DrM should be put to better use and Proton being a national car will benefit more with him.
    Tony and friends have already PROVEN themselves already and are true assets to the country so let them be here too.

    Lotus Europa.

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  21. Anonymous4:28 pm

    The Lotus saga is a legal matter. Just stick to the facts: Proton gave Tune rights to the Lotus name with conditions and they did not abide by the condition. Without the permission to use the Lotus name, Tony & the gang have nothing to start their F1 business with. And now he's telling people that he has something like a natural right to Lotus being in F1. Isn't that delusional and downright arrogant? Bottom line: They don't have the legal right to keep the name and should bloody respect the company that allowed them to be in F1 in the first place

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