The response by Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to Asli's report that bumiputera equity has surpassed the targeted 30% in a way exposes his insincerity in his desire to see the evolvement of the 'Towering Malay'.

I remember very clearly in one of his speeches that he said that the Malays must get rid of their 'crutches' or they may eventually end up in wheelchairs.

One would have thought that he would have seized the opportunity offered by the Asli report to, if not do away with the NEP totally then, at least do away with the many ridiculous features of the NEP. Instead, he ended up questioning the credibility and validity of the report.

I have no way of knowing how accurate the Asli report is, but who in the government would be the one that finally says the Malays have reached the targeted 30% equity ownership and when will that time be?

No less then the former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohammed and now Abdullah Ahmad Badawi talk about doing away with the crutches but when the crunch comes, they chicken out. Umno leaders have lost all credibility with the public, especially the non-bumis, when they talk about competing equally with other races.

Now I understand why it is so hard for drug addicts to kick the habit. After 35 years of addiction to NEP goodies, how can one give it up? My suggestion to Umno leaders in government is to just stop the hollow talk of doing away with the NEP crutch. You people don't mean it and never will.