Our website is made possible by displaying non-intrusive online advertisements to our visitors.
Please consider supporting us by disabling or pausing your ad blocker.
The Airbus Bribery Allegations (2018–2020)
UK Serious Fraud Office (SFO) Investigation:
Airbus admitted to a global bribery scheme (settling for $4 billion with US/UK/French authorities). Documents revealed: Airbus paid $50 million to sponsor the Caterham F1 team (owned by Fernandes and co-founder Kamarudin Meranun). Prosecutors alleged this was a kickback for AirAsia’s 180-aircraft order from Airbus. An additional $55 million was offered (but not paid) for further orders.
Internal Emails:
An AirAsia executive (believed to be Fernandes) demanded $16 million from Airbus, complaining: " I’m fed up. You owe me 4million already...Payup.Iwantmywhole16 million now".
Airbus employees discussed funneling payments to the F1 team to "close deals"
India’s CBI also investigated Fernandes for bribing officials to secure AirAsia India’s license.
Evidence This Has Happened Before; A The 2018 Dividend Payout (Cash Extraction Before Crisis)
AirAsia sold its aircraft leasing arm, AACL for MYR1.18B and paid huge dividends (MYR688M to Tony & Kamarudin).
Result: Short-term cash for insiders, but the company lost a revenue-generating asset and later faced a liquidity crisis; B The Covid-19 Pandemic Bailouts. AirAsia received government-guaranteed loans while Tony’s holding company (Tune Group) reportedly secured separate financing.
If history repeats, this could be another case of prioritizing insider interests over minority shareholders.
Fernandes’ Track Record:
History of High Dividends During Debt Crises:
In 2016, AirAsia paid special dividends after raising RM1 billion from Fernandes/Kamarudin’s share placement
Critics argue this enriches insiders while burdening the company with debt.
Tony Fernandes has a pattern of leveraging shareholder approvals for: 1 Large dividends when asset sales provide liquidity (2018); 2 Debt-focused restructuring (2025) that may favor insiders.
Minority shareholders should watch for: 1 Future equity raises (rights issues); 2 Whether new loans disproportionately benefit Fernandes-linked entities.
@Kumbar, that is true. But the latest development is Axiata has a subsidiary, Edotco. Edotco specializes in building telecom towers. U-Mobile is awarded by MCMC to provide 2nd 5G telecommunication in Malaysia. U-Mobile in turn pick Edotco as their telecom tower provider. This will add extra revenue to Axiata.
I share what I found with you, guys.
I hope we all can make some money in Axiata.
If I am wrong, Axiata's share price will keep dropping. But its very unlikely.
Major fund managers have their own analysts. They do research and give their recommendations to their buyers & seller brokers.
Lets see how this play out.
@Yike, its not cost effective. Why should we own our own satellite where we want to provide services to the most unhabitatable, secluded, remote area in Indonesia. Unlike Elon Musk, he thought he can provide this services around the world. That's different. He has volume. where Indonesia doesnt.