I felt really queasy in my stomach last weekend as something familiar caught my eye again. More subsidies and costs are to be passed on to us poor taxpayers by the continuing saga of quarterly losses on one of our so-called national pride - Malaysia Airlines.

Many, many years ago, we were told that depreciation and financing costs together with a deficit on domestic routes have bled MAS almost to death.

So the government came out with this amazing restructuring plan where the debts and holding costs were transferred over to an asset management company PMB where the leasing charges were to be twigged to ensure MAS' survival.

At the same time, all domestic route expenditures would be billed back to Penerbangan Malaysia Bhd (PMB) and indirectly to us, Joe Public the taxpayer. Not to mention all the operating costs associated with PMB which would not be needed if MAS operated like any other airline.

Lo behold, by a stroke of the mighty pen, MAS was turned into a profitable, investors' darling, so we were told. With this sugar daddy behind their back, MAS once again went frolicking on the local routes, offering discounts and directly competing with AirAsia, which was offering fares at 'roti canai' and 'teh tarik' prices.

Then last quarter MAS reported increased domestic losses but who cares as it will be passed on back to you and me. Now we are hearing that rising petrol cost is driving MAS into losses again. Oh come on, what do the other airlines that are reporting profit use for fuel then - water?

These sort of hazy excuses must not be condoned. When you are reporting losses, why are you frolicking around paying for English Premier League live coverage?

I suggest the Finance Ministry look again at MAS and PMB. Shut down PMB and just sell off MAS to private initiatives, maybe even to AirAsia as they seem to know how to run an airline without asking for a subsidy all the time.

For heavens sake, please don't let MAS fo frolicking again with our money. I don't care if MAS is owned by Martians or the Loch Ness monster as long as it can be operated without this constant subsidy begging. Please put a stop to this.