AirAsia X makes Rafidah board chairman, eyes quicker expansion

Rafidah will replace Datuk Kamaruddin Meranun as board chairman of AirAsia X.


AirAsia X is to name former trade minister Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz as board chairman this week, a move seen to help boost the long-haul budget carrier's bid for more international routes.

The carrier, which counts British airline tycoon Sir Richard Branson among its shareholders, has not grown as fast as founder Datuk Seri Tony Fernandes expected following the success of short-haul routes operated by the AirAsia Group.
"The board has decided to invite her to take the post and she has agreed," an AirAsia X source told The Malaysian Insider.

An airline shareholder confirmed that Rafidah will replace current chairman Datuk Kamaruddin Meranun, who is Fernandes' main partner in the AirAsia group which includes units in Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines.

Focus on growth first, Rafidah tells Bumiputeras

The veteran politician said there will be those in Perkasa who did not share Ibrahim’s views.

Former international trade and industry minister Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz has urged Bumiputeras to focus on the growth aspect in the New Economic Model (NEM) instead of harping on their own personal agenda.

Lauding the NEM as the way forward for Malaysia to achieve economic growth, Rafidah pointed out that groups that opposed the initiative were only being “counter-productive” and narrow-minded.

“Groups like Perkasa, they are only looking at the NEM through one perspective. They regard it as their right to put their two cents’ worth forward but this can be counter-productive.