I refer to the letter by Also Restless calling on the government to review its immigration policies so as to stop Malaysia's brain drain. Perhaps Also Restless may like to know that such a call is nothing new at all.

In the 1980s, Dr Mahathir Mohamad was asked by the Far Eastern Economic Review for his comment on why large numbers of professional Chinese Malaysians emigrated, while Chinese Malaysian students in developed countries preferred to remain there instead of coming home to serve their country.

He replied matter-of-factly that if he were to open the doors of 'this country' wide, there would be more than enough qualified people to replace all those brains which had left.

Also Restless might have been prompted to write his or her letter based on recent media reports on the Malaysian government's moves to attract Malaysian professionals overseas to return home to serve their country.

But if the writer thinks the government may review its policy to facilitate the return of non-bumiputera Malaysian professionals from abroad in large numbers, think again.

The Malaysian government is not interested in the country - with its rich natural resources - reaching a developed nation status through the collective efforts of non-bumiputera brains.

And especially not if it means that the playing field is to be made level for all communities where all would have equal rights with the special privileges of the bumiputeras being withdrawn.

In this scenario of prosperity, the bumiputeras would be presumably left out. Mahathir had made it clear on many occasions that Malaysia could be as successful as Singapore, perhaps 100 times more so, as Malaysia has a lot of natural resources compared to Singapore - a barren little island.

But why should Malaysia embark on such a course if the bumiputeras are left behind while others, presumably the non-bumis, become prosperous?

The thinking of Umno leaders like Mahathir is that it is better for Malaysia to be backward and inefficient as long as the bumiputeras benefit rather than for it to be prosperous and achieve a developed nation status where others prosper but the bumiputeras lag behind.

Umno leaders have always maintained that Malaysia is a Malay/Muslim country and non-bumiputeras who are non-Muslims should be thankful for what they are getting.

They are even prepared to discriminate in favour of Indonesian and other immigrants against non-bumiputeras if such a move can accentuate Malaysia's ethnic bumiputera features.

This is essentially what 'Ketuanan Melayu' means. That is why Umno continues to divide the races into bumiputeras and non-bumiputeras and reinforces the Muslim/non-Muslim divide.

The world may have changed through globalisation, to the extent that global pressure helped to end the racist apartheid regime in South Africa 10 years ago. But this did not make Umno give up its racist policies. On the contrary, there are indications that such racist policies are being reinforced.

I'm afraid Also Restless will have to continue to dream on if he entertains the hope that the country's immigration policies will be reviewed to stop the brain drain. Shaking the foundations of the Rock of Gibraltar would be comparatively much easier.