18 November 2009
SEPANG: AirAsia paid tribute to one of Malaysia's greatest cartoonists, Dato' Mohd Nor bin Khalid, also affectionately known as Dato' Lat, by featuring his illustrations on one of its Boeing 737 aircraft.
On Tuesday, the low-cost airline paid tribute to the cartoonist once again but this time featuring his masterpiece on our brand new A320 aircraft.
When describing his work then, Lat explained, "I have wanted the characters and storyboard to reflect the culture, and the way of life of Asean people as what AirAsia has grown to become. My vision was for the people of ASEAN to identify with the characters on the plane."
Lat's colourful characters and universal stories have always captured the very ideals that make up Malaysia's unique multi-racial society; celebrating our differences as well as our similarities.
"These are also the very ideals that have helped AirAsia grow into the Truly Asean airline that we're proud to call ourselves today.
"We have an Asean crew and an unparalleled route network that brings the rest of the world closer to the region, so it's only fitting that we invite Lat back to illustrate another aircraft with his timeless art.
"Now that we're an Asean airline, our dream has been realised and Lat helped us realise that dream," says Dato' Sri Tony Fernandes, Group CEO of AirAsia, in his welcome speech.
"We are proud to be associated with someone as talented and well loved across the Asean region. With the aircraft flying all over ASEAN, we believe that his creativity will inspire other young artists to greater height," concluded Tony.
Also present at the ceremony was surprise guest Sir Bob Geldof who paid a visit to AirAsia while in town to speak at the Youth Engagement Summit 2009, Dato' Kamarudin bin Meranun, Deputy Group CEO of AirAsia and AirAsia' esteemed Board of Directors.
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