Minister in the Prime Minister Department Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz's statement that non-Malays are not interested in civil service is ludicrous. First, non-Malays serving in the civil service are routinely by-passed for promotions. If they are promoted, they only sit in the third-tier.

For example, in the Education Ministry, there are no non-Malay state education directors. You'll have to look pretty hard to find a non-Malay in a position of power.

In the armed forces, where can you find a non-Malay of the rank colonel and above?

It's not that the non-Malays are not interested. It's because they realise there are no career prospects for them. Promotion for an ambitious non-Malay is non-existent.

Forty years ago, the civil service had many non-Malays serving because they had opportunities for promotions. Now, there are none.

If opportunities for promotion are there, the non-Malays will join the service. If not, there are greener pastures everywhere which is only to the detriment of a nation seeking global and 'glocal' recognition.

Who benefits? Other neighbouring countries.