Your report Chua seeks probe into NEP failures refers. Umno deputy chief Khairy Jamaluddin has again recited the hackneyed mantra that the 'sine qua non' for political stability and economic prosperity in Malaysia is for bumiputeras to have a 30 percent share of the economic pie.

Chua Jui Meng, coming as he does from a tame and cowed Barisan Nasional component party, was not able to make out his case for the minorities as strongly as he would have wished.

Now Sabah has arguably more natural resources than peninsular Malaysia but Umno does not seem to be interested in articulating the equity case for the Kadazans and the other indigenous peoples of Sabah and Sarawak as vehemently (and truculently while brandishing a 'keris') as it insists on bumiputera rights.

If an international panel of eminent historians, anthropologists, sociologists and economists was formed to examine the bumi case, I sure that they would find it extremely difficult to justify it in the form peddled by Umno.

Indeed the panel might even say that the ethnic Indians and the poor urban Chinese have a better case for affirmative action benefits. Many of the affirmative action schemes have been transformed into racketeering ones with parasitic cronies travelling along the Ali Baba highway to become millionaires.

In consequence, the poor of all ethnic groups are more marginalised than ever. Also, not a few of these schemes have engendered a colossal waste of public funds contributed by taxpayers.

I wish the NGOs would bring this question of equity before an international forum to test whether the Umno has been equitable in its distribution of the wealth of the country. Enough is enough.