I refer to the remarks made by Singapore's Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew at a dialogue on good governance in Singapore on Sept 15, that among other things Chinese in Malaysia were being marginalised. This resulted in a subsequent furore in the Malaysian press and a request from the Malaysian Foreign Ministry for an apology from MM Lee.

Why should MM Lee apologise? MM Lee was merely stating the facts.

Article 153 of the Constitution of Malaysia safeguards the special rights and privileges of the Malay and other indigenous people of Malaysia, collectively referred to as bumiputeras.

The New Economic Policy (NEP) was a socio-economic affirmative action programme launched by the Malaysian government in 1971. The NEP ended in 1990, and was succeeded by the National Development Policy in 1991. Both these policies have reduced non-Malays to the status of second-class citizens while cementing Malay supremacy.

Examples of such policies include:

Companies listed on the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange must find a bumiputera to take up a minimum 30% of equity to satisfy listing requirements.

A certain percentage of new housing in any development has to be sold to bumiputera owners. Housing developers are required to provide a minimum 7% discount to bumiputera buyers.

Certain government guaranteed and run mutual funds which are available for purchase by bumiputera buyers only.

Many government-tendered projects require that companies submitting tenders be bumiputera-owned.

Approved Permits (APs) for automobiles preferentially allow bumiputera companies to import vehicles.

Racial quotas exist for entry into universities.

Quotas also exist for Public Services Department (JPA) scholarships offered to students to study in leading universities worldwide.

My personal experience underscores the statement made by Lee.

I myself grew up in 'kampung' selling 'rambutan' by the roadside when I was only 10 years old. I was motivated and did extremely well in examinations, but despite this, I was not eligible for a scholarship. However, many of my Malay classmates were offered scholarships despite poorer results. My family was by no means rich, just like millions of other ethnic Chinese in Malaysia, and could not send me overseas.

The Singapore government gave me hope and opportunity to realise my dream. In order to secure my future, the only possibility to further my studies was to go to Singapore if I did not want to be left behind.

I am not against the Malays - I grew up and studied together with them, have many Malay friends. But I disagree strongly with policies that discriminate and marginalise the Chinese who are supposed to be Malaysians too.

Should MM Lee apologise in this instance?

I think not, especially since it appears that Malaysian politicians use 'carte blanche' to criticise and marginalise their Chinese citizens.

Just prior to the remarks made by Lee on the Sept 15, Umno Youth deputy chief Khairy Jamaluddin, claimed that Penang Malays were marginalised, just like Malays in Singapore. It appears that nobody took him to task!

If there is anybody who should apologise, it should be him for interfering in the affairs of Singapore.

Lee was absolutely right when he noted that the attitude of Malaysia and Indonesia politicians towards Singapore was shaped by the way they treated their own ethnic Chinese minorities. Malaysian politicians and leaders seem to expect Singapore to be forever compliant, just like the ethnic Chinese in their own country.

I certainly hope that Lee will be non-compliant and offer no apology.