I respectfully disagree with Fahri Azzat concerning the playing of your national anthem prior to movies, special events and before school starts in the morning.

When I was young, I remember that before a movie started, we used to stand up for the playing of the national anthem or 'God Save the Queen' while a picture of the flag or a short video depicting scenes of our country were shown on the screen. Everyone young or old removed their hats and stood in respect for not only what our country is but for all the people who have struggled to make it what it is today.

We no longer do this any more and I miss that particular activity. All we now see are commercial advertisements flashing in our faces in order to push respect commercialism rather than for our country.

In Canada, where the sport of ice hockey is almost sacred, the national anthem of all countries represented are sung or played at the start of a game regardless of the level of the league. When there was talk to do away with this, there was a loud uproar and all thought of doing so was discarded.

I'm a high school teacher and part of the morning exercises at every public school in the province includes the playing on the national anthem and a moment of silence to reflect or pray as each individual wishes.

When the anthem starts in the morning, everyone in the school stops what they are doing, removes their hats and stands still for the playing of the anthem. Visitors to the school have remarked on this and were pleased that we practiced this routine.

The playing of the national anthem in all the above cases is not to inculcate patriotism but respect. Respect for the country in which we live in. Respect for those who have died to preserve our way of life. Respect for each other as Canadians.

One of the things we are losing as we continue to develop is this respect, especially in our young people.

Malaysia would do no harm in starting to play her national anthem before the start of movies as long as it is done in the name of developing this sense of self-respect rather than just as a flag- waving exercise.

Having lived in Malaysia for ten years, I understand the writer's cynicism concerning proclamations of the government on these matters, but I think that this one, again if done right, is not such a bad idea.