It was so refreshing to read Jesslingen's The enemy is not the other ! This letter is so clear-eyed and clear-headed that I hope all Malaysians, or at least those who must lead and educate the people, can read it and be inspired and refreshed.

I've lived in Malaysia for a year now, after four years in Singapore and all my life prior to that in America. I was and still am completely stunned and baffled by the degree of Malaysians' obsession with race in everything, considering the scientific reality of the oneness of humanity and the seemingly bad consequences this race-obsession has had for Malaysia. I observed and experienced racism and race-obsession in both America and Singapore, but not to anywhere near the degree as in Malaysia.

Let alone having cross-race spouses and friends: it seems that here people might even choose their doctor based on race! This amazes me. Even the title of Jesslingen's relatively very forward- thinking piece shows the degree of this race-obsession: neither country I lived in previously would tolerate its citizens calling more citizens 'the other' based on race.

My recurring question this year has always been, 'Why allow this kind of negative race-obsession to happen, when it seems so very bad for the people and country?'

Regardless, a certain truth is that the racial profile of the world and Malaysia is changing. And fast. What race are the increasing population of Malaysian children of 'mixed' marriages? And the increasing stream of people coming to Malaysia from other nations (and other 'mixed' marriages), who do not neatly fit into one of the 'recognised' races? It seems that soon (already?) the current racial attitudes in Malaysia will be not only destructive, but also anachronistic and out of sync with the reality of the world and Malaysia itself.

However Malaysia decides to solve its problems, as all countries must decide, I hope Malaysians can be led to recognise themselves as primarily members of one global humanity. This does not diminish their standing as Malaysians; it simply recognises the scientific, economic, and spiritual (well, that adjective is arguable) reality in which this one country named Malaysia, as well as all the others in the world, find themselves.

Short of that, or as a beginning, I hope Malaysians can soon recognise themselves as unitedly 'Malaysians'. Despite the hiccups with this (some at times severe) in both America and Singapore, the vast majority of both these countries' populations really do fundamentally see themselves as all Singaporeans or Americans, in addition to whatever other allegiances (ethnic, religious, political, preferential-music, taste in fashion, etc) they may hold.

This did not come naturally, though. It has taken - and still takes - both countries a lot of work to achieve this condition, even in its flawed state. I hope Malaysia may soon achieve this, or even eclipse these other countries in its degree of unity and harmony.

As a visitor and someone with both an outsider's ignorance (though I'm not totally ignorant, as I'm married into a Malaysian family) and an outsider's wide view, I hope Malaysians can rapidly stand up for one Malaysia, one people, and offer treatments for both social ills and benefits to the deserving simply based on merit. And quickly.

I too often see wonderful Malaysians with much to offer giving up hope and looking for homes elsewhere, which only impoverishes this richly-blessed and beautiful country. The current condition is worrisome for those who love Malaysia and its people and want to see stability and progress. Good luck to the government, educators, and people in addressing this matter!