I refer to the letter AirAsia pushing its planes beyond the limit? I find the writer's attitude pathetic. He goes to great length to criticise AirAsia, and justifiably so from the sounds of it, but ends his litany of complaints by conceding that, 'I'm not saying that you should not fly AirAsia. Even I will probably have to do so one day soon'.

If there was an iota of dignity in those who deride the budget airlines because of their shabby treatment, they should boycott it and pay the difference for a full fare and fly with some other airlines or take the train or bus or don't fly at all. I would never fly with an airlines - even if it gave me a free fare - if I suspected its aeroplanes had shonky maintenance.

It is hypocritical of the writer to question the safety of the airlines when he is prepared to continue flying with it and risk his life and probably his family's. This careless attitude is so typical of Malaysians who will complain and complain but when it comes to the crunch cave in to flagrant self-interests instead of paying the price for their convictions.

This mentality is also illustrated by my encounter with a taxi driver. While driving me to my destination, the taxi driver and I got to talk about politics. He then got stuck in a tirade against the government. I listened patiently and when I thought he had finished his mobile ceramah, I asked tongue-in- cheek: 'Who did you vote for?' Giggling, he confessed that he had voted for the government.

To those like the writer who complain and continue to subject themselves to shabby treatment whether from a budget airline or the government, I say 'Serves you right. You got what you asked for.' If such people are serious about getting companies and governments that ride roughshod over them to change their ways, they had better start taking the sort of actions that produces real change.

Vote out the corrupt. Stop flying budget. Don't go to that restaurant that has unsanitary standards, or the shop that sells the tastiest dishes near an unhygienic drain or the coffee shop which encroaches onto streets near open drains and has rats running around in the dirty back lanes near its kitchen, and which has dirty toilets while the boss tears around in a gleaming late model Mercedes.

Why should Malaysian consumers and citizens tolerate substandard service? Why should they shortsell themselves?

If the writer had written, 'I will no longer be flying the airline until it ensures our personal safety and treats customers with respect and consideration and delivers on what it promises', I would have admired his opinions.