By Dr. T. Selva
For someone who travels as frequently as I do, airports are more than departure and arrival
points. They are gateways to countries, cultures and people.
And whenever I return to Malaysia, I always feel a special feeling when I board a Malaysia
Airlines flight.
The familiar welcome, Selamat Datang, food and warmth of the cabin crew somehow tell me,
even thousands of kilometres away, that I am already on my way home.
That is why my recent journey from Melbourne and Singapore to Kuala Lumpur felt
noticeably different.
It came shortly after the disturbing case involving a Malaysia Airlines pilot who was detained
at Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport over an alleged attempt to smuggle a large
quantity of drugs into Indonesia.
The incident attracted international attention, particularly after footage surrounding the arrest
circulated widely online.
The consequences have inevitably travelled far beyond the individual involved.
During my flight home, I spoke with members of the cabin crew. What struck me was not
anger, but a sense of disappointment and uneasiness.
They spoke about how the incident had affected morale and how airline personnel were now
facing greater scrutiny.
Just a week ago, they were often greeted with a salute and allowed to pass through with ease,
reflecting a sense of trust and camaraderie. Now, however, everything has changed: they are
subjected to rigorous screening and intense scrutiny.
Malaysia Aviation Group has since introduced enhanced screening measures, including
mandatory drug testing for pilots.
I fully support stringent measures when safety is involved.
There can be absolutely no compromise when hundreds of lives are entrusted to aviation
professionals.
Pilots and crew members occupy positions of enormous responsibility, and passengers have
every right to expect the highest standards of discipline and integrity.
But there is another side to this episode that deserves reflection.
The wrongdoing of one person can cast a very long shadow.
Thousands of dedicated airline employees who have done nothing wrong can suddenly find
themselves working under an atmosphere of suspicion.
Pilots who have served honourably for decades, cabin crew who proudly represent Malaysia
around the world and ground personnel who work tirelessly behind the scenes can all feel the
repercussions of an individual’s alleged misconduct.
When I arrived in Kuala Lumpur, I sensed something else.
The airport atmosphere appeared different to me. The scrutiny felt greater and the experience
seemed less relaxed than what I had been accustomed to on previous journeys.
The green lane, nothing to declare, was closed, and everyone was forced to screen their bags.
Perhaps heightened vigilance is inevitable following such a serious incident. Customs and
security officers have an important responsibility, and we should respect them for carrying it
out.
However, security and hospitality do not have to be opposing values.
An airport is often the first impression a visitor receives of a country and the last impression
he or she carries away.
Malaysia has spent decades building an international reputation for warmth and hospitality.
We should never allow necessary vigilance to turn every traveller into a suspected offender.
Check us. Screen us. Question us when necessary. Strengthen procedures wherever
weaknesses have been exposed.
But let it be done professionally, respectfully and with dignity.
The same principle should apply to airline employees.
Those responsible for wrongdoing must face the full consequences of their actions, but the
innocent should not be made to feel guilty merely because they wear the same uniform.
For me, Malaysia Airlines remains my first choice whenever possible.
I have travelled extensively on different airlines around the world, but there is something
about Malaysia Airlines that cannot easily be measured by rankings, food, seat dimensions or
entertainment systems.
It is the feeling of being home before reaching home.
It is the familiar Malaysian warmth and smile when you step aboard. It is the affection in the
service, the little conversations with the crew and that distinctive Malaysian hospitality that is
difficult for another airline to reproduce.
That reputation has been built over generations by thousands of people, and it should not be
defined by the alleged actions of one individual.
This episode should instead become an opportunity.
If there were weaknesses in security procedures, strengthen them.
If employee screening needs improvement, improve it. If greater vigilance is necessary,
introduce it.
But after the immediate reaction comes the more difficult task of restoring confidence
without destroying trust.
Travel has already become increasingly stressful. We remove our belts and shoes, empty our
pockets, open our bags, pass through scanners and answer questions.
Most travellers accept these inconveniences because we understand that security is necessary.
What we should try to preserve, however, is the human element.
A smile costs nothing. Courtesy does not weaken security. Respect does not compromise
vigilance.
Malaysia’s airports and Malaysia Airlines are important windows to the world.
Every officer at an immigration counter, every customs officer, every ground employee and
every member of an airline crew contribute to the image visitors carry of our country.
One person’s actions may have caused enormous embarrassment.
But one person’s actions should never be allowed to define an airline, an airport or a nation.
Malaysia Airlines has carried our flag around the world for decades.
Its people have welcomed millions of travellers with a uniquely Malaysian kind-heartedness.
Let us strengthen security. Let us demand accountability. Let us learn from what happened.
But let us also protect something equally precious – MH – the Malaysian Hospitality that
makes people feel welcome rather than watched, and makes Malaysians like me feel that we
have arrived home even before the aircraft touches the ground.
Award-winning writer Dr. T. Selva is the author of the bestsellers Vasthu Sastra Guide
and Secrets of Happy Living. To obtain a copy, WhatsApp 019-2728464. He can be
reached at drtselvas@gmail.com. Website: www.vasthuguide.com