I think the present prime minister is a much nicer person than his predecessor. Nevertheless we cannot continue to rely on the old formulas to keep this country moving forward although I am sure the same old tired formula will win the next elections without a hitch.

We really do need a new formula for national unity, and less disinformation in the government-controlled mass media.

On Saturday, the New Straits Times headlines on page 2 BN formula has created peaceful nation , and it rattles on about "power sharing" between BN component parties, and about Gerakan getting the chief minister's post in Penang as part of the "historic bargain".

By sheer numbers alone the Malays totally dominate the aristocracy, judiciary, armed forces, police, government bureaucracy, parliament and cabinet. This demographic is not ever going to change except to become ever truer over time due to differential birth rates.

In summary, the Malays have total dominance over every instrument of power that counts in this country. Likewise, Umno is the paramount power in Malaysia. It has ruthlessly fashioned itself as the political party for the Malays by claiming to "protect" them from the supposedly nasty bogeymen minorities, and has efficiently stamped out all competition including PAS for this vote-winning franchise.

The old formula of divide-and-rule by frightening the Malays and demonising the ethnic minorities is so ingrained into the Malaysian national political consciousness that I feel compelled to remind them of some home truths.

If Umno elites want a peaceful nation then you will get a peaceful nation.

If Umno elites want to give Gerakan the CM's post to give the impression of power sharing, then that is what will happen.

If Umno wants to demonise and threaten the powerless ethnic minorities by kris waving and shouting "bathe it in blood" at their AGM, then they can do so every year with total impunity.

If Umno wants to organise mob violence at any time at peace conferences in Malaysia that include many women delegates such as Apcet II , then it can do so with impunity, and even be rewarded with nasi kandar by the police too.

If Umno elites want to stir up racial tensions, it can do so with impunity.

If Umno elites want to organise a mob to threaten to burn down the Chinese assembly hall in Selangor, it can do so anytime.

As regards to serious racial rioting in Malaysia, I don't think anyone who has read Kua Kia Soong's book is going to conclude that May 13 was perpetrated by the communists or that it spontaneously erupted either.

The fact is the real threat to peace in this country comes neither from the non-Malay non-Muslim minorities nor the Malay-Muslim majority.

The real threat to our peaceful multiracial nation is from factional infighting within Umno. It arises whenever Umno's competing elite factions decide their personal electoral prospects will be better served by hate mongering and by raising the racial temperatures in order to enhance their nationalistic credentials at the expense of the non-Malay and non-Muslim minorities.

Of course, it gives the Malay masses the illusion that indeed the ethnic minorities are a threat, and that they need Umno politicians to "defend their rights" no matter how egregious or corrupt the politicians chosen to be slated for election in their district.

Since the general elections are looming, I suspect more hogwash will be printed in our official newspapers.

I should list down some more truths below:

The minorities are not a threat to peace.

The minorities are not nor were they ever a threat to the political dominance of the Malays.

Political ideologies such as Ketuanan aka Malay Supremacy aka The Malay Agenda are morally indefensible. Of course, it compares favourably with apartheid South Africa but that is like saying we are lucky not to have corrupt and brutal Burmese generals in charge of our economy here.

I therefore hope our BN leaders will one day see fit to start telling the truth about how easy it is to divide and rule, and enrich themselves with our tax money.