The Umno meeting recently with delegates asking when the keris is 'to be used' and that Malays would 'run amok' if their rights are questioned are truly terrifying and frightening to the small children of minority races in Malaysia. How can the elders of this ruling party stand by without taking action against these delegates is truly a mystery to Malaysians and the world.

For decades, Chinese and the Indian Malaysians have quietly accepted the fact that financial opportunities and educational privileges are to be given to Malay Malaysians. For Chinese and Indian parents who want their children to succeed, these parents know they have to work hard to get the funds to send them to universities as chances of their children getting scholarships from the government is next to nil.

The Chinese and Indians know this situation will not end that quickly. Have the Malay delegates who gave fiery speeches at the recent Umno general assembly ever wondered what it would be if they were to be in the shoes of the Chinese and Indians. How would they feel?

Malaysia has got so many opportunities and resources to go for greater heights. Malaysia would grow by leaps and bounds if the people of Malaysia work together and not divide themselves into various races. It is foolish that after so many years of nation-building, many leaders cannot realise the simple maxim in life we all learned in Malaysian schools: 'United we stand, divided we fall'. And we would not only stand, but we could climb much higher if we put our divisions into the rubbish bin. Have the Umno speakers who talked of the keris ever thought of this?

Rather than debating how to compete successfully internationally, attract foreign investments, allocate the resources of Malaysia more efficiently and properly and make Malaysia a better and peaceful place for all, we hear the words 'unsheathing the keris' all too often at Umno meetings in recent years.

It is all too disappointing that Umno delegates do not know that the world today is very much different compared to 30 or 40 years ago. Though it is always true the flow of funds is fast and responsive to social environments and growth prospects, the situation today is such that there are economies nearby us who want to rise and not fall behind us.

The Umno leaders should seriously ask, 'Is our economy competitive enough? Is our education system competitive? Are our human resources up to par? Are we on the track to compete successfully two decades from now? Four decades from now?'

We have competing economies nearby in the form of China and Vietnam which welcome foreign investments wholeheartedly as compared to Malaysia whose existing policies and social environment are sadly not competitive enough.

Rather than debating how best to use the Petronas' oil proceeds for future generations and attract foreign money to come to Malaysia, we keep hearing leaders of Umno championing Malay rights only and not the rights of all Malaysians. Malaysia is blessed with Petronas making billions of US dollars a year but this will not last long as many energy analysts believe that Malaysia's existing crude oil and gas reserves are limited and would be exhausted someday.

Many believe that this happy joy ride would end in about 10 years' time or earlier. So we need to debate how best to use this money now and how to invest in profitable projects today and tomorrow to provide more cash flow for future generations of all Malaysians.

So could the Malays please ponder for a while if they were to be in the shoes of the Chinese and Indians. How would they feel after decades of the NEP?