I refer to the letter by Ted Ng and his concept, which in my humble opinion, is the most practical application and a maximum utilisation solution, benefitting both the bumi and non bumi students.

Our current 70s-based education system is going to fail sooner rather than later. It's even dragging our economy and social development down with it. What centre of excellence for education is being touted by our over enthusiastic minister when our degrees are not recognised by other countries?

Our local professional bodies for doctors, lawyers and accountants have been sidelined solely on this point. On the other hand, one thing I find amusing is that all foreign academics agree that the STPM is one of the toughest exams in the world

A simple question will make you wonder: which candidate would you rather have as your management trainee? A graduate from Mara university or one from the National University of Singapore?

And it will not be long before China starts exporting her talents to the world. Academically, they are gaining in leaps and bounds. If we don't upgrade our system soon enough, we will be swarmed with these cheap and highly-talented professionals - not unlike the Indians that took IT specialist jobs in most developed countries.

Let's look at how the suggestion from Ted Ng would solve this impending crisis. If the current system continues, the bumis will still be the laggards in the next foreseeable 30 years. For a system that has failed after more than 30 years of application, rest assured that it is not going to work for the next 30 years.

Ted Ng's solution will slowly but surely erase the subsidy mentality among bumis and strengthen them to excel and compete with the world community. This is crucial. I have heard that millionaires are churned out daily in China. If our bumi brethren don't start practising to stand on their own two feet, they will lose before the global economic battle even begins.

Ted Ng's solution for academic excellence, if applied broadly in other areas too, will nurse the bumis back to standing on their own two feet and slowly inject competitiveness into many areas. Wouldn't it be good if bumis are labelled as a progressive race in the eyes of the world? Wouldn't it be good if Malaysians can walk tall among the great economies of the world? Wouldn't it feel good to let the world know we Malaysians are not racist?