I refer to the Malaysiakini report M'sian varsities fail ranking test for eighth year , and wish to point out to Saudara Lim Kit Siang - and, at the same time, reassure the esteemed Minister of Higher Education (MOHE) - that things are not what they seem, nor are they as gloomy as they are painted to be.

Indeed, a closer examination of the Shanghai Jiao Tong University rankings will show that Nottingham University (which has a Malaysian campus) is ranked 84.

Monash University (ditto) is in the 151-200 rank. And Swinburne and Curtin (ditto again) are in the 401-500 rank.

So, I'm sure it can't be too difficult for the spin doctors (oops, I mean officers, of course) of the MOHE to proadly boast that Malaysia has not one, but four , `local' universities in the Top 500 this year.

And I'm equally sure that gullible Malaysians like us will invariably believe them and feel a sense of pride! Wakakakakaka.