As always it is illuminating to read letters such as Dr Mohamed Rafick Khan Abdul Rahman's on why a Malay cannot for the fourth time run MAS as suggested by the Umno Youth chief. My family and I use MAS half a dozen times a year mainly long haul to Europe so I suppose I have earned my say in the matter.

I have no choice. It is the only direct airline to KL and I treat is as I would a 12-hour bus-ride with a P Ramlee movie and chicken briyani (and fish if you are lucky) thrown in. Like all problems, ask the right questions and you will get the right answers.

Is MAS a national symbol? If yes, then you can appoint anybody you like because it is only a symbol of a nation's immaturity. All newly independently countries love to have these symbols (Nigerian Airways and Air Tonga comes to mind) and in time they all became insolvent and their planes seized the moment they land outside their country of jurisdiction (as happened to the two examples above and Russia's Aeroflot).

MAS lost RM280 million in the last quarter or RM3 million every day. At this rate, it is only a matter of time before the inevitable looms. MAS was nearly bankrupt once. If Hishammuddin Hussein Onn is prepared to pay for the losses than by all means appoint whoever suits your symbol.

My favourite would be Mawi of Academi Fantasia . At least he is good looking and can sing Never mind the management bit. But if MAS is a public company - which it must be - then it is as clear as daylight what needs to be done.

As P Ramlee would have said more eloquently, companies are for profit ('jadi untung' in his inimitable drawl without the keris for dramatic effect). None of the previous CEOs have 'jadi untung' for MAS so now it's about time to swallow your pride, eat humble pie and just get someone to get on with the job before you lose another three million ringgit for everyday you argue whether he should be a Malay or not.