I refer to the ongoing debate on Sarawak's immigration policies and would like to add that I have not gone to Sarawak for the last 20 years. This is my way of a personal protest against that policy. When I look at the travel brochures and holiday bargains, I am tempted to visit the sites of Sarawak, but as long as I am termed 'Orang Semenanjung' (peninsular people), to differentiate us from Sarawakians, and looked at as such by the general public, I shall go on protesting.

I have many very good friends from Sarawak but as a matter of principle, I do not think the state should have its own laws if it considers itself a part of Malaysia.

How can we have national integration when we have such basic differences? Even the Chief Minister of Sarawak gets better perks than the federal ministers do, and the fact that Umno is forbidden to enter Sarawak speak volumes of double standards.

In my job, I have recruited hundreds of Sarawakians over the years, and not even for a brief moment do I separate them from candidates from the peninsula. I have given them promotions and overseas assignments based purely on their ability, and I find many of them better than their colleagues from the other states.

However, so long as we have people like Fawzi, who emphasise narrow regionalism, we can say goodbye to national integration.