YOURSAY | 'Silencing critics is not the way to gain public confidence.'

'Don't create panic,' Loke tells Wee over MAS' alleged confidence crisis

Dr Suresh Kumar: Leave what MCA president Wee Ka Siong said aside. Tell us the reason for the spate of incidents that have befallen Malaysia Airlines (MAS) since January 2023.

Who else to ask if not MAS and the Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG) that are in charge? Anthony Loke, as the transport minister, has been silent. So, tell us, who is in charge?

People are concerned, not only in Malaysia but all over the world. By silencing your critics, you are only making things worse. This is not the way to gain public confidence.

Apanama is back: The people who travel by MAS will tell you everything is wrong with MAG.

Phone calls were not picked up. Delays are not explained. There are many complaints.

Do you know how old are the planes? The company had not replaced the old fleets. So what nonsense is that professionalism and safety you are talking about, Loke?

Loke needs to be honest and truthful about this issue because it concerns the safety of the customers. We cannot afford to wait until MAS becomes a “flying death” flight.

The potential consequences of inaction are too severe to ignore.

2ndarySch: Politics aside, safety first, always. I fly frequently on other airlines, but never have I experienced what was reported about the MAS fleet recently.

Technical problems, emergency landings or returns to home base, all happened consecutively within weeks. What happened? I can understand the frustration of delay, but when you see fire emitting from the tail edge of an engine or depressurisation, it is no joke.

Some politicians and management staff think that is normal and fine, nothing great to report and talk about.

I hope and pray that the next time the politicians, management staff, and their family members travel on a MAS flight, get to see and experience the thrill themselves.

R.Venugopal: Loke is now talking like the old BN minister.

Answer the question professionally about the recent service failures, your predecessor Wee is not asking about the management of MAG but addressing the issue and stopping diverting the subject.

Wee has his sources to obtain the facts.

Justworld: The transport minister must be having a hard time getting approval from his bosses.

Where there is smoke there is fire, so our good Loke better tell his MAS servants to fire up to full throttle and be perfect before it's too late.

Another thing, this minister seems to have a strange hangup when it comes to MCA.

Vote4changejohor: MAG has been very responsive and has since made some good decisions to alleviate the current problems facing MAS technical problems.

This problem seems to have affected some other airlines and even Boeing itself as the air transports gained capacities rapidly post-pandemic. We must also thank the transport minister for addressing the matter urgently and wisely.

Malaysians are looking forward to more destinations to travel to as more countries have waived visa requirements for travelling and our economy continues to grow healthily under the Madani economic policies implemented one and a half years ago.

Optimus: Loke has been targeted by Wee because he is with DAP.

By now, everyone knows MCA's playbook is to be against everything DAP, but will be quiet as a mouse on matters about Umno.

The irony here is it sounds rather similar to how DAP is quiet as a mouse in the government.

Shibboleth: Wee has nothing better to do. MAG's preventive measures are now interpreted as something seriously wrong with its aircraft.

Ringgit: Wee is Loke’s senior in this area and he has his experience and has contributed. Listening, thinking and respect are very important to restore people's confidence, especially after the MH370 and MH17 incidents.

Loke is a people-elected representative and entrusted to manage this portfolio. If he’s not going to question MAS and MAG for these incidents and make the findings known to the people, it is best if he steps down for good.

Meow2: As a frequent flyer, I have been avoiding MAS for many years.

Sometimes the delay lasts for hours due to technical problems and, the worst part, sometimes no apologies are forthcoming.

There are better airlines out there.

Die with memories, not dreams: Keep politics out of this. In aviation, one incident is too much and one incident can cause hundreds of lives.

The spate of incidents suggests there is no professionalism. It's pure luck that no lives are lost.

How can an international airline depend on luck? It shows very clearly the "tidak apa" (don't care) attitude towards Preventive Maintenance by the management from top to bottom.

Looks like the management is more motivated to show profits rather than the safety and upkeep of assets.

One of the world's best airlines is run successfully by our neighbours, we learn from them to improve.

Engage professionals, and instil zero tolerance for shortcuts in preventive maintenance, this attitude change must be driven top-down not the other way around.

Good luck, MAS.

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