AHEAD of its official launch, nearly 500 copies of a book paying tribute to the legacy of Malaysia Airlines System (MAS) were sold through pre-orders.
The Malaysia Airlines We Built was authored by over 70 former staff who served the national carrier up until 2015.
It chronicles MAS’ golden era through personal stories, historical insights, and reflections on the collective mission to transform it into a world-class airline.
The book was officially launched at Kelab Golf Negara Subang in Kelana Jaya, Selangor, by former MAS deputy chairman Tan Sri Sulaiman Sujak, who was accompanied by former managing director Datuk Kamaruddin Ahmad, according to a Bernama report.
Also present were former executive vice-president (group finance) S. Suppiah, along with many other former MAS staff as well as guests.
The book traces MAS’ journey from its founding on Oct 1, 1972, highlighting the dedication, sacrifices and pioneering spirit of the people who helped build the airline.
It offers insights into how Malaysia’s homegrown aviation workforce built the airline that once flew across six continents and was an internationally acclaimed, award-winning national icon for many years.
According to the Malaysia Airlines Retirees Association (Masra), these local talents formed the backbone of a dedicated team that supported the nation’s aspiration to develop MAS into a world-class airline, surpassing the expectations of both Malaysians and the global aviation community.
“These homegrown professionals later became highly sought-after by aviation-related organisations worldwide, as their experience at MAS was widely recognised and respected,” Masra said in a media statement.
“This recognition was fine testament to the airline’s commitment to fulfilling Malaysia’s aspiration of developing a highly skilled workforce for heavy industries.
“This pioneering success was a catalyst for the subsequent establishment of other similar industries in the country,” the statement said.
In his speech, Suppiah, who led the book project team, recalled the early years of MAS, describing them as challenging and filled with sacrifice but driven by the team’s strong desire to learn, which led to their rapid success.
“Other airlines have openly acknowledged that MAS produced some of the best pilots, aircraft maintenance engineers, and in-flight crew with the golden touch.
“Hopefully, the experiences shared in this book will inspire future generations, even as we recognise that changes are needed in several areas to keep pace with technological advances in aviation and related sector.”
