Hard to feel sorry for Tony Fernandes

Happier times.

So, shares in AirAsia dipped by as much as 10% when trading resumed on Monday. That's nothing compared to battering Tony Fernandes's reputation has received since he made that infamous video welcoming us into his home and singing praises of the BN government.

He has since apologized, saying among other things:

"My views are actually the same as your views. As you can see from my many speeches, from my Instagram, and my Twitter. I believe so much in this new Malaysia."

Nice words but why does it ring hollow? You want to see something that actually sounds sincere? His pre-GE14 video where he tells us something "from the heart".

Does this look like a hostage tape to you? Well, Tony Fernandes now wants us to believe he really had little choice but to make that video.

Much of what he subsequently describes about being pressured by BN was probably true but let's be clear about something here. Tony Fernandes had a choice. He made his choice and now he is trying to atone for it by claiming that "my views are actually the same as your views".

No they are not.

Tony Fernandes has been a consistent supporter of BN for many election cycles. That's, of course, his right as a citizen and as a businessman who wants to curry favour with the government of the day. But its disingenuous for him to now claim (after the fact) that "I believe so much in this new Malaysia." There wouldn't be any new Malaysia to speak of if voters had actually been swayed by his BN propaganda video.

Now, there might be some who empathize with him after watching his subsequent mea culpa video. After all he is a businessman in a tightly regulated industry. True but what was the government going to do if he had refused to make that hostage tape? Kill off AirAsia?

Tony Fernandes had a choice and he could have stood up to Najib. As Malaysiakini's Mariam Mokhtar articulated so well in her article:

"At school, and in real life, we are urged to stand up to bullies, or report them. Why didn't Fernandes? The rakyat would have rallied behind him. A refusal to kowtow to Najib would have been a metaphorical slap in Najib's face. Instead, he allowed himself to be bullied. Tony went over the top in his praise for Najib. He painted an aeroplane blue, accompanied Najib on his flight, and his cabin crew were decked-out in blue."

Like Khairy, another smooth talker who opted for political expediency rather than acting on good principles, Tony Fernandes had bet on the wrong horse. There is no need to feel sorry for him.