As a responsible citizen of this country, I feel very sad that our politicians had been treating race relations in this country like a pendulum and an object for their manipulation in their craze for power and influence.

It is treated by politicians like a pendulum as it is allowed to swing from the extreme left to the extreme right for their expediency and needs.

When their internal political party elections are around the corner, they, regardless of whether they are Umno, MIC or MCA, would suddenly speak in highly racist tones, raising sensitive issues from language to ownership of assets of the country to religion. The more racist and parochial a potential candidate is, the more 'pious' votes he will get from his party members.

On the other hand, when the general election is around the corner there would be all sorts of functions and pleasantries that would be held to promote and celebrate racial harmony to ensure a better chance of winning the votes from a wider segment of the public.

Substantial amounts of public money have been spent for celebrations and ceremony amid pockets of abject poverty in the country. The money could have been better spent in providing for the basic needs and the education of our children. If we need to celebrate, we can still do it but in moderation.

It has been speculated that there would be another big do to celebrate our 50th National Day. After that, it would be immediately followed by the forthcoming general elections just before the beginning of the Muslim fasting of Ramadan which would fall sometime in October this year.

If the pendulum could guarantee them of higher votes, they would continue swinging it around and in the process throwing racial harmony and integration to the wind.