Oleh/By		:	DATO' SERI DR. MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMAD 
Tempat/Venue 	: 	LAPANGAN TERBANG ANTARABANGSA KUALA 
			LUMPUR, SUBANG 
Tarikh/Date 	: 	26/02/86 
Tajuk/Title  	: 	UPACARA PEMBUKAAN RASMI KOMPLEKS 
			HANGAR MAS 




Yang Berhormat Dato' Dr. Ling Liong Sik, Menteri Pengangkutan; Yang Amat
Berhormat Datuk Haji Ahmad Razali, Menteri Besar Selangor; Yang Mulia Raja
Tan Sri Mohar Badiozaman, Pengerusi MAS; Dif-dif Kehormat; Tuan-tuan dan
puan-puan.

Saya mengucapkan terima kasih kepada Lembaga Pengarah dan Pengurusan MAS
kerana sudi menjemput saya merasmikan Kompleks Hangar MAS ini. Saya juga
berasa bangga kerana dapat memberi sepatah-dua kata di Majlis ini.

2. Kompleks Hangar ini bermakna MAS telah berjaya mempunyai kemudahan yang
cukup untuk mengendalikan penyelenggaraan pesawat-pesawat terbang atau
'aircraft maintenance'. Bahkan MAS seharusnya dapat menampung keperluan
penyelenggaraan pesawat terbang bagi pesawat- pesawat terbang
syarikat-syarikat penerbangan lain. Sekiranya Kompleks ini dapat
menyelenggara lebih banyak pesawat-pesawat terbang lain, sama ada daripada
syarikat- syarikat penerbangan luar negeri atau syarikat-syarikat
tempatan, MAS bukan sahaja dapat mengurangkan aliran tukaran wang a sing
ke luar negeri, bahkan MAS akan dapat membawa masuk tukaran wang asing itu
ke negara kita. Salah satu kunci yang penting untuk menarik
pesawat-pesawat terbang daripada syarikat-syarikat penerbangan lain ke
Kompleks Hangar ini ialah mutu penyelenggaraan yang tinggi. Pengurusan MAS
hendaklah mempastikan mutu perkhidmatan di Kompleks ini akan semakin
meningkat dari semasa ke semasa. Saya berharap pihak pengurusan dan staf
Kompleks ini akan menganggap tanggungjawab masing-masing dalam memberi
perkhidmatan yang memerlukan kemahiran dalam bidang teknologi tinggi ini
sebagai satu cabaran.

3. Mengenai industri 'aerospace' di negara ini pula, Kerajaan telah
mengambil beberapa langkah ke arah memperluaskan industri ini. Langkah
pertama ialah menswastakan Depo TUDM yang sekarang dikenali sebagai
AIROD. AIROD merupakan satu pelaburan bersama antara 'Aerospace Industry
of Malaysia' dengan sebuah syarikat luar negeri.

4. Industri 'aerospace' merupakan satu industri yang dinamis dan satu ciri
yang penting ialah industri ini menggambarkan kemajuan-kemajuan moden
dalam segi peralatan dan sistem industri penerbangan. Di samping itu
industri ini mestilah mengutamakan daya pengeluaran yang tinggi tanpa
mengabaikan kualiti supaya dapat bersaing dengan industri penerbangan luar
negeri. Dengan itu AIROD dan lain-lain kemudahan dalam industri
penerbangan seperti Kompleks ini hendaklah mempastikan daya pengeluaran
dan mutu sentiasa diutamakan.

5. Seperkara yang mesti kita sama-sama akui ialah industri penerbangan,
seperti industri-industri berat yang lain, mempunyai kesan yang positif
terhadap sektor-sektor ekonomi yang lain di negara ini. Berbagai peralatan
kecil dan perkhidmatan-perkhidmatan tertentu juga akan turut berkembang
bersama-sama dengan perkembangan industri penerbangan ini. Mungkin juga
kita tidak akan dapat menyaksikan perkembangan seperti ini dengan
cepatnya, tetapi perkembangan itu walaupun lambat akan tetap
berlaku. Sekiranya kita memikirkan kesannya kepada ekonomi negara dalam
jangka panjang, kesan-kesan positif industri penerbangan dan
industri-industri berat yang lain tidak dapat kita nafikan.

Tuan-tuan dan puan-puan, 

6. Di Majlis ini ramai tetamu MAS terdiri mereka yang datang dari luar
negeri. Oleh yang demikian izinkan saya berucap seterusnya di dalam Bahasa
Inggeris.

Ladies and gentlemen, 

7. I would like to welcome all of you, especially those from overseas. I
am sure MAS would be giving the necessary information on this Complex and
I hope it will be attractive enough for you to consider using the
facilities here.

8. Aircraft and component repair in the South East Asia region have a
large market potential. Although a number of countries in this region have
established repair and overhaul centres, there is still a substantial
volume of work that flows to the United States, Europe and other repair
centres outside this region.

9. Malaysian organisations involved in this industry such as MAS, AIROD
and others should venture out and obtain their share in this highly
competitive market. To be successful the Malaysian companies must enhance
their competitiveness by providing high quality work and continuously
explore ways and means of raising their productivity.

10. These organisations should also cooperate and complement each other to
make their presence felt, not only in South East Asia but also in other
regions like the Middle-Eastern countries. Beyond repair and overhaul
activities,Aerospace Industries Malaysia which was establish ed over a
year ago must accelerate and widen its search for partners and
opportunities to set up components and parts manufacturing, light aircraft
and helicopter assemblies and other high technology repair centres to
service the market.

11. The Government would welcome and create the right environment for
foreign investors who are keen to set up their operation in this
country. We have the necessary infrastructure and a large pool of highly
trained and adaptable work force to support aerospace activities in this
country. We seek those who have a real desire to participate in the
building of the Malaysian economy and who are prepared to transfer their
know-how in design, fabrication and production technology to their
Malaysian counterparts.

12. Equally important is the commitment by companies to invest in research
and development. The long term investment will ensure that there is a
continuous search for new aviation and aerospace technology and of its
potential applications.

Ladies and gentlemen, 

13. The ceremony today also represents the coming of age for MAS. In
entering this new era you must shed your "small airline" image. You must
take a more aggressive stand to ensure your rightful place among the big
league airlines. In line with the government's policy in making tourism an
important revenue earner, MAS must play a leading role in helping the
government ensure the success of its tourism plan. There is a need for
Malaysia to be more easily accessible to the world and MAS must take steps
to strengthen and develop its network.

14. In the domestic arena, expansion and growth is within our
control. However I am aware that expanding externally is another
story. Inherent in MAS plans to grow are the problems of securing traffic
rights from other countries. The government gives its assurance that it
will continue to give its full support and help in this direction in order
for MAS to expand in a logical and orderly manner. Malaysia hopes to see
more liberalising of rights on a reciprocal basis and developed nations
taking a less restrictive and protectionist stand to allow for growth of
the airlines of developing countries.

15. It has been a number of years since MAS has launched any new routes or
increased frequencies to existing destinations. However the fruits of the
last few years of grappling with the problems of securing traffic rights
to other countries will be realised in July this year when MAS extends its
network to USA and operate its fifth flight to London via Paris.

16. The two new services to Los Angeles spell an exciting new chapter for
MAS and Malaysia as it opens up a whole new and vast market for air
traffic, tourism and trade. I am told that there are about 20 million
Americans leaving the country annually for various destinations and of
this number less than 60,000 make their way to Malaysia. TDC, MAS and
travel agencies must make the necessary efforts to encourage a greater
flow of American tourists to this country as well as to enhance the trade
and commercial links between the two countries.

17. For the operation to the U.S. and an extra frequency to London, MAS
will be deploying the new B747 aircraft which has an enlarged cargo
capacity. This is very encouraging for the expansion of cargo services
between Malaysia and Japan, U.S. and Europe. And to promote airfreighting
of cargo through Subang, the Government has built a very large and modern
cargo complex which will be operational in three days' time, that is March
1st.

18. MAS has also invested about $25 million in modern computer systems and
sophisticated mechanised equipment to make this cargo centre more
efficient and competitive with other cargo centres in the region. It will
be a challenge to MAS to make Subang a major cargo transhipment centre.

Tuan-tuan dan puan-puan, 

19. Seperti yang kita maklum tahun ini MAS menjadi sebuah syarikat yang
disenaraikan di KLSE. Kerajaan telah menjualkan 30% jumlah sahamnya kepada
orang ramai. Justeru itu sebahagian daripada ekuiti MAS dipunyai oleh
orang awam. Ini bermakna tanggungjawab MAS bukan sahaja kepada Kerajaan,
bahkan juga kepada orang awam yang telah memegang saham syarikat
penerbangan ini. MAS akan diperhati dan diteliti dengan penuh minat oleh
para pemegang saham barunya. MAS hendaklah meningkatkan kesungguhannya
memberi perkhidmatan yang cekap, lebih berupaya dan mengumpulkan
keuntungan yang sewajarnya.

20. Sekali lagi saya mengucapkan setinggi penghargaan kepada Lembaga
Pengarah dan Pengurusan MAS yang telah menjemput saya ke Majlis
ini. Sekarang saya dengan sukacitanya membuka Kompleks Hangar MAS ini
dengan rasminya.

Terima kasih.