MH is too proud and will never admit that their past management were weak. They tried to close down AK and they failed, making business conditions worse for themselves. The ones now are 'smarter' with just trying to limit AK's growth while they try to catch up and at the same time roping in partners to help contain the dynamic setup that is AirAsia.
Idris Jala likes to use the word 'going forward'. He has uses this buzz word dozens of times in his speecehes and interviews. But you can't possibly go forward when you go back on issues that were discussed and agreed on weeks/months ago. Here's a tip Idris. You talk about something with someone, get a decision then move forward. If you back out of it, that's ungentlemanly. Wasting precious times discussing it the first time, wasting time when it is deliberated a second time and waste more time debating about it in between that.
Here's a worry for me. Instead of both airlines working together with each taking advantage of the other's strength FAST for the benefit of a lot of people, the neighbours make more and more inroads in this field, have more time to work on the challenges what with the high fuel prices, high competition etc. The time wasted in talking, lobbying and bickering should end.