YOURSAY ‘Scant regard for standards and professionalism compromised airport security and border protection.’

'MH370 a hefty price for 3rd world mentality?'

Absalom: You cannot blame the country or the politicians for a plane gone missing or whatever happened to the ill-fated plane. That can happen anywhere.

However, in the aftermath of such a crisis, you cannot help feeling that we do not have the best people we could have in all the right places, whether in the political leadership or in key government institutions or the government-linked companies.

And is it really surprising? This is what we get when everything from education to sports to employment is turned into issues championing race or religion. This is what you get in a realm of blatant corruption from top to bottom.

This is what you get when you sacrifice educational excellence for political mileage and false pride. At normal times, you will know the inadequacies are there but at times like this, it becomes embarrassingly glaring for the world to see.

An RM2 billion submarine which cannot be mobilised in such an emergency? That seems to be the last straw. Is it on standby for WWIII?

Armchair Newspaper: The universal law of harvest is - what you sow, you reap. It's not about Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak but the embedded system of governance that produces what Kadir Jasin called the Third World mentality; where one is hired and promoted, not based on merit or competence, but on one's race and political affiliation.

So, Mr Kadir, it is not about Najib but the decades of misrule and scant regards to the standards and professionalism that compromised essential matters such as airport security and border protection.

Now, it's not just the opposition or some groups of Malaysians that are talking about it, the world finally sees it.

Swipenter: Culture of mediocrity and corruption is pervasive and runs deep in the civil service of Bolehland after four decades of lax attitudes. They know they won't and don't have to face the music for poor performance and even blatant acts of corruption are ignored.

The annual Auditor-General’s Report is proof of what I am saying. Every government department is busy making easy money and when problems surface, they are not really problems to them because no one is held accountable and responsible for poor service, blunders, shoddy work, uncompleted works, huge cost overruns, unauthorised expenditures, overpriced items and huge losses.

This has everything to do with Umno Baru's politics of race and religion and the compromises that go along with it. The bloated civil service is a huge vote bank for Umno Baru.

Security is tight even when traveling by domestic flights in China. See how those bumbling officials handle the disappearance of MH370. They are confusing everyone with their drib and drabs of information.

Headhunter: Like everything else being done in the country, nobody takes their job seriously until something like this happens. Then the fingers start pointing, forgetting that when they point at others, three fingers are pointing at themselves.

Beautiful and impressive SOPs are written but never enforced seriously. The problem is that no one ever get sacked in this country - hence the lackadaisical attitude.

If Malaysia is interested in improving its airport security, they should learn it from Israel. Their security is top notch. Passengers are not even allowed to talk to security officers (mostly young females) when their baggage is being inspected. And they scan everything, including your rubber sandals and small items like toothbrushes; one by one, I may add.

Anonymous_3e06: We live in culture of “you scratch my back I scratch yours”. Umno has made this country into a corrupted culture so we get what we build.

Otak-otak: This is exactly what Malaysia has become, Just look at the way we present ourselves to the world in a news conference; it is this type of culture, quality and mentality in all our government-related organisations that has eroded to its rock bottom level.

Denial, complacency and a 'touch-me-not' attitude, especially among the Umno group of people and their links, coupled with arrogance, supremacy of a certain race/religion, injustice, etc.

The list is endless, so much so that the education system too is becoming a laughing stock, not to the outside world alone but to its own people who were born in the 50s and before.

Even if Malaysia starts to learn from scratch i.e. practise meritocracy (which is very, very unlikely), it is a little too late now, don't you think so? Look at Vietnam and the neighbouring countries. They will surpass Malaysia in no time.

Abasir: Kadir Jasin: You may have conveniently forgotten that it was your mentor Dr Mahathir Mohamad who systematically eliminated meritocracy across all functions and establishments, filled vacancies with the grossly inept, put them in suits and jackets and promoted them to their current positions.

You played along then because it was expedient. The chickens, as they say, have come home to roost and we have, in your words, a situation where "Everyone is relaxed... everything seems fine and nobody wants to accept responsibility".

But that aside, this tragic turn of events has put Malaysia in sharp focus worldwide, and the embarrassing communicative incompetence of those facing the cameras every day. The shock of being suddenly and unceremoniously yanked out of familiar ‘ketuanan’ confines and pushed on to the world stage is so apparent.

Swipenter: Let me tell you how sharp eyed are the immigration officers in Chinese airports. On our recent trip to China as we were checking through the immigration counter, my wife was stopped because they noticed a "small mole" (more like a tiny black dot) on her chin in the photo of her passport whereas there was none in her face.

It was actually a tiny piece of dirt embedded in her passport photo. This happened in every immigration counter we happened to pass through when traveling within China or exiting China.

Home Minister Zahid Hamidi, the immigration officer must be checking those two passports with European sounding names but with Asian faces with his/her eyes closed, or in fact they did have European features.

Uighurs are Turkish descendants and some of them do look European - assuming this was the work of Uighur separatists/terrorists.

Fair Play: A Kadir Jasin, you mean you only realise that we have a Third World mentality only now, or did you finally decide to admit it only today? Now the world sees ketuanan at its finest - or more likely it worst.

Ace: You know why Kadir Jasin? Meritocracy is dead in Malaysia. You guys kept glorifying and promoting mediocrity. Also, when there is wrongdoing and mistakes made, no one is punished.

Who will worry? Not the civil servants, not the politicians - as long as they are in the right camp. And don't try to be a hero now - you were very much part of the regime that promoted such ethics and practices.

Bad Feng Shui: This is what Mahathir said about meritocracy last June: “I have little faith in meritocracy where all opportunities must be given to only those who are noted for their efficiency. If we practice meritocracy, then those who are not getting the same merit, they will totally not get any opportunity."

We now see the result of giving critical jobs to unqualified cronies.

Siang Malam: All you have to do is just drive through the Johor Bahru Causeway or the second link at Gelang Patah and you can see the difference in the quality between Malaysian Customs and Immigration when compared with the Singapore Customs and Immigration personnel.

Singaporean Customs even use a extended mirror to look under your car whereas Malaysian Customs will ask you "Ada apa-apa mahu declare?" (Do you have anything you want to declare?)

Tikusmati: Kadir Jasin, this happened during your time also. It started during your time and continues till now. So what is new?

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