YOURSAY ‘MH370 and MH17 show how dangerous man is to mankind.’

Liow denies MAS took risky route to save fuel

Fair Play: Ever heard of the black swan theory ? Certainly, investors in the financial and capital markets would have. What is it?

A black swan can best be expressed by this unlikely insightful thought of Donald Rumsfeld, former US defence secretary - there are things that we know (known facts), things that we don't know (known unknown) and things that we don't know that we don't know (unknown unknown).

MH17 is a very negative black swan. So was MH370. But two black swans within a span of four months? This is something that would set us thinking for a long time to come.

It just goes to show how fragile and little we know (or how much we don't know that we don't know) about the unknown. But surprisingly, these are man-made, not natural disasters. It goes to show how dangerous man is to mankind.

Open Minded: Firstly, my deepest condolences to the families of MH17 crew members and passengers.

I feel that this route over Ukraine should have been avoided once the area became a 'war zone' and with today’s sophisticated weaponry that can travel far, it is certainly unsafe to be even near the path which the airlines had taken.

Flight planners are responsible to ensure safety of aircraft and travellers.

This is a tragedy that could have been averted if proper prudence was employed. If other airlines use this path, it is at their own risk and we are not responsible for them.

But we need to follow them? Our responsibility is to Malaysians. 

Quigonbond: International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) merely prescribes minimal safety standards. It's up to individual airlines to set their own higher standards. One would have thought MAS learnt from MH370 to be hypersensitive to risk by now.

If it's an issue with rigid culture, MAS is in deep trouble because its customers will start calling into question the ability of MAS to assess and manage risk.

Najib is right it is tragic year for Malaysians. But he does not realise the most tragic is national misgovernance: disrespect for talent, hard meticulous work and candour, reflected in the current MAS malaise.

ONG: Liow has absolutely no sense of logic and common sense. His reasoning that MAS is not trying to save fuel simply because there are other airlines also using the same route is totally illogical.

What it means is that MAS, together with those airlines are all trying to save fuel by using the dangerous route.

His reasoning that the route is safe merely because it has been used over many years is even more illogical. The route used to be safe before the present Ukraine conflict. Not anymore.

I cannot see how anyone with any common sense can conclude that a route flying over a major conflict zone and just about to escalate into a full-blown war can be considered safe.

Liow appears not to be aware that many airlines have already stopped flying through this dangerous route. Perhaps Liow thinks that the Ukraine war is being fought with catapults, bows and arrows?

Anonymous_3f4b: Why are the commentators in Malaysiakini finding fault with Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai.

The path used by MH17 is sanctioned by international aviation authorities. Flying at 30,000 feet, it is unexpected that this will happen.

The missile strike is unprecedented in this part of the world. In fact, it can happen to any other airline. Unless evidence is shown that MH17 strayed from its flight path and flew low within range of enemy fire, then blame can be laid.

Liow is doing his job as any transport minister would have done and all should respect this and refrain from unnecessary and unfounded criticism.

If they have nothing beneficial and comforting to say it is better to keep their big gap shut and not be armchair critiques.

In times of grief and untold sorrow to Malaysian Airlines (MAS) and Malaysia, all should stay united and support the authorities to get to the root of the cause of this aviation disaster.

Paul Warren: Liow, whatever happened to prudence? Yes, the route may be approved. It may be recommended even. It may be legal. It may meet all the required conditions set out by your insurers.

Does that exonerate MAS from applying prudence when it comes to its customers? Can passengers of MAS expect that prudence, as a matter of principle, is paramount in the policy and decision-making process of this organisation?

Prudence is not only for the purposes of presenting your accounts. It is also in regard to your policies and decisions on flying.

Just in the last week planes have been shot at and shot down in the region over the same flight route. Yet MAS ignores prudence and flies through it just because it is approved, legal or even recommended.

Wong Jiang Fung: The incident itself is already tragic. What is also tragic is that the Malaysian government has lost the trust of its people due to MH370 and countless other blunders.

Even though Liow said the correct thing here, people still chose not to believe him. 

Hold Putin responsible for shooting down MH17

The above is a selection of comments posted by Malaysiakini subscribers. Only paying subscribers can post comments. Over the past one year, Malaysiakinians have posted over 100,000 comments. Join the Malaysiakini community and help set the news agenda. Subscribe now .

These comments are compiled to reflect the views of Malaysiakini subscribers on matters of public interest. Malaysiakini does not intend to represent these views as fact.