I have several concerns that need airing. Firstly, on the news that All Nippon Airways is terminating its flights to the KL International Airport; this makes it the fourth airline to withdraw its flights within a short period of two years.

While the such terminations may be due to profitability (or lack of it), KLIA authorities still need to perform some serious surgery to remedy the situation. Things like a state-of-the-art architecture and F1 circuits may not necessarily be the attractions for tourists. Unpleasant experiences like the long taxi wait and persistent exploitation of tourists are definitely not plus factors.

Tourists look forward to a pleasant and memorable holiday here. They love to meet our people and understand our multi-faceted culture. When they are seen only as money-generating people, this does not help. Even if our national carrier employs a foreign CEO, he or she can only improve things if given absolute power to run and transform the whole airline operation including the finance; no foreign expertise can perform pure magic!

In a poll done by Asiamoney , an Asian-based business magazine, it is interesting to note the following: The best-managed company in Asia is an Indian company and our neighbour Indonesia, with all its instabilities, secured three positions in the top 20 list.

There is no sign of any Malaysian company in the scene. This, too, calls for serious evaluation. We do not lack the necessary resources and expertise, but a leadership of the highest integrity. We aim at all the superlatives - longest, widest, shortest, tallest and so on. How about the most honest?

Now the authorities have announced the revival of the Bakun project and that it will be undertaken by a company owned by the Finance Ministry. Why is there no open tender for such a mega-project? The hydro-electricity generated will now only service the Borneo region. Is it justifiable to axe the precious trees just for this? Are we aware that more river beds are becoming shallower with all the soil erosion?

There is now this ambitious project going on to beautify our surroundings, especially in Miri. We are planting lots and lots of instant trees! The sight of medium-sized palm trees planted instantly within minutes and supported by wood, nails and strings is something so unreal.

The important thing is, what are we doing to preserve that which Mother Nature has endowed us with rather than chopping and bull-dozing at maximum speed at one end and busy digging up the earth and plonking trees on the other?