Dr Mahathir Mohamad has had a profound influence on our country.

But I disagree with his comment that “Malays are lazy”.

We must not mistake lack of motivation for laziness.

The tallest tree in the jungle is the one which has to struggle upwards to get sunlight. The same tree if it gets sunlight without effort stays short with no need to grow higher. This does not mean the shorter tree does not have the ability to grow higher, it is just that it does not see the need to do so.

It is not difficult to see how the Malays have lost motivation.

On the one hand they are assailed with a philosophy of contentment i.e. that one must be content with whatever one has.

Secondly, even if they fail academically they are somehow succoured by the state or state-linked organisations.

Moreover some silly leaders keep on telling them that they cannot compete with the Chinese and Indians.

So can you blame the Malays if they lack motivation and are apprehensive about the other races?

Many Malays have made it to the top of their chosen fields by sheer merit. Some of the leading lawyers and medical specialists are Malays. But these are the Malays who spurned or were denied patronage and eked out their own paths.

Dr Mahathir himself is one such Malay.

DP VIJANDRAN is a former MIC secretary-general and former deputy speaker of the Dewan Rakyat.