I refer to the Malaysiakini report Gov't offers to help minority Malays in other countries .

One wonders what is the deputy prime minister's agenda in making this, an example of yet another of Umno leaders' off-the-cuff astounding public declarations!

Najib Abdul Razak ought to concentrate very seriously on sorting out all the mess that 51 years of Umno-led BN rule has piled up in our country, instead of wantonly creating more ridiculous situations, from which he will no doubt have to beat yet one more hasty red-faced retreat.

As it is, Malaysia has already become such a lawless place. Ask any man in the street.

Perhaps BN (read Umno) has become so utterly at a loss for ideas for clinging on to ‘power’ that it is totally bereft of even simple reasoning, or simple clear thought.

In the first place, does Najib know specifically what he means by a ‘Malay’, or ‘Malays’, in the context of ‘Malays in other countries’?

And what far-reaching implications and consequences may result from this irresponsible statement – if made into official ‘policy’ again without due intelligent consideration?

What right has he to pledge to dole out money that belongs to all Malaysians (many of whom are hard- working) - to a loose grouping of people (which grouping would be a near impossible definition) living in ‘other countries’?

This statement of his presupposes that all ‘Malays’ on this planet must be a seriously crippled lot who are incapable of advancing in life without crutches that the one-and-only Umno-of-Malaysia is ever ready to dispense. It appears a country's wealth is only there for those who are in power to dish out to serve their own agenda.

Have Umno leaders become so thick-skinned in their desperation to cling to power come what may, that it doesn't occur to them at all that many capable ‘Malays’ may actually take umbrage, and indeed - insult, at this demeaning ‘magnanimous offer’ of Najib's?

Has it not occurred to Umno why Malaysia has not succeeded in enticing ‘Malays’ in Singapore from coming across the very short Causeway, despite the vast opportunities and unfair advantages that await ‘Malays’ (by Malaysia's quick-fix definition) in Bolehland? Yes, our former PM is a ‘Malay by definition’.

Has it not occurred to Najib that unlike many brainwashed-by-Umno-‘Malays’ in Bolehland, many ‘Malays’ now prefer to be able to hold their heads up high in the knowledge that they earned what they have through sheer honest hard work, and not as a result of continuous hand-outs?

Has it occurred to him why, despite everything ‘going their way’, many Malaysian ‘Malays’ choose to re-locate to foreign countries?

If by now, Najib should find it fit to argue that he had meant ‘Malaysian Malays’ living overseas, (err...did someone say that he is a lawyer by training?) - then we are seeing racism blatantly rearing its ugly head yet again. All Malaysians living abroad certainly form a minority in their host countries - why single out ‘Malays’ only?

One would expect that after their well-deserved trouncing in the March 2008 elections, BN (read Umno) ought to have learnt its lesson and ought to very seriously take the necessary steps at making restitution for their sins.

But then of course, greed, power and arrogance are known to cloud one's thinking and judgment.