I refer to the Malaysiakini report Pakatan leaders unperturbed by PAS-Umno talks.

The federal government spent RM100 million for the 50th Merdeka anniversary celebrations last year.

For what?

It should have been to celebrate half-a-century of nationhood to build a multi-racial, multi- religious, multi-cultural and multi-lingual nation where our diversity is the strongest national asset.

And also to chart out the path to achieve the Vision 2020 objective of a Bangsa Malaysia in the remaining 13 years.

But Malaysian nation-building has gone backwards and the Vision 2020 objective of a Bangsa Malaysia is increasingly frowned upon as a misplaced target.

The recent revelation by the Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi that there has been three Umno-PAS talks to address issues of Muslim and Malay unity since the March 8 general elections has raised to the fore the question why the preeminent issue bothering the prime minister is still that of Malay unity rather than Malaysian unity.

Has he forgotten another of his pledges to be a prime minister of all Malaysians and not just for one race?

The writer is DAP member of parliament for Ipoh Timor