The contretemps over Chinese denied seats in Malaysian universities descends into an unnecessary racial debate. The lines are clearly drawn: the Malay back the Malay position, the Chinese, the Chinese and the Indian, the Indian.

Neither Mr Lim Kit Siang, the DAP chairman, who questioned the citizenship of a reporter who asked him a loaded question, and the de facto Law Minister Dr Rais Yatim, who threatened to have him charged, should have lost their cool. But it is proof that it does not take much to turn a problem into a full-blown racial episode.

Why do we behave so offensively in a country which the Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi assures us, is headed for " Bangsa Malaysia "? (Malaysian nation)

Why do we not allow a free discussion of issues, without political gangsters and nincompoops rushing in to threaten? Why can we not look beyond political agendas and look at the country as a whole?

Why did Umno blow out of proportion a submission by Suqiu to the NEAC II (National Economic Action Council) and turned it into a political confrontation between the Malays and the Chinese?

Implied threats

Malaysians are discouraged from actively discussing issues of the day, with implied threats of arrest and worse, if they stray from the norm or challenge politically-held assumptions that cannot stand scrutiny.

Which is what happened here in recent months. This national penchant to sweep under the carpet issues which should be addressed head on, makes nonsense of any pious attempt to lead Malaysia into the civilised world.

When injustices and ignorance are bottled up, it would break open into a crisis, as in the Petaling Jaya Selatan incidents, university admissions, the Malay anger at how the former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim, is treated.

So long as the government insists its view be the only one, and then decided upon that capriciously, sparks must fly.

When that is pushed down one's throats in high dudgeon, and backed up with dire consequences for municipal offences while ignoring the corruption and unfairness inherent these days in government policies and decision, something must give.

Seethes in anger

The government bailouts and rescuing cronies of the establishment is bad enough.

But when it is done without reference to Parliament or even to the cabinet, it builds up resentment. The MAS bailout, the arrogant claim of the crony rescued that he is cash-rich after being bailed out.

The Time dotCom fiasco and the Phileo-Allied purchase of Pos Malaysia in stealth create the grounds for public dissatisfaction against the government. The Malay ground seethes in anger at these and other crony rescues.

When into this uncertainty comes a political challenge to the government's worldview, not from political parties but from the communities themselves, it shakes the foundations of power to its roots.

There comes a time when the communities - the Malay, the Chinese, the Indian, the Sarawak and Sabah tribes - stand up to be counted. It may not come overnight, but signs of that is only too clear.

They take them on to demand that national and political issues should no longer be the preserve of those in power.

It should be resolved in informed and public debate, without political parties taking racial positions on it. But this is not given a chance. The Barisan Nasional insists it knows what the people want, without finding out what they want.

Convoluted logic

That they have been elected to power is sufficient reason for those who did, to accept what it has to say. It is convoluted logic in the best of times. When it is stated contentiously and without debate, in Parliament or elsewhere, it is matter of time when it would unravel. As now.

For the last 30 years, after the post-May 13 emergence of Malay dominance, Malaysian politics in effect was Malay politics plus. It would have worked if the non-Malay partners in the ruling coalition had held their ground and did not allow themselves to be satraps of the Umno that dominated it.

The Chinese and Indian leaders in it, ignored the welfare of its communities, paying lip service to their needs, while, to not put a fine point to it, they enriched themselves. Every MCA leader in the past 30 years left office under a cloud, clinging on to the Umno leader to protect him from his own party.

When this Malay dominance is strengthened with an arrogant fatuousness, something must give. As it now threatens.

Nation building is too important to be in the hands of politicians who insist theirs is the only vision. It cannot, should not, be defined by a government which does not know if it comes or goes.

Nation building is not a political creation even if politics gives it the focus, but the sum total of the people's belief in the state to turn into a nation. It should reflect the diversity of Malaysia and how it can be channelled into a nation of diverse races, cultures and creeds. It is not, in the best of times, an easy task.

It is worse in Malaysia where nation building is what one political grouping wants. We should break out of that malaise. We should speak frankly, explore options, challenge each other's assumptions without Umno Youth raising Cain.

The most learned man in the country has much to say about it as the most illiterate. It is not an exercise to show off but to seek a common ground for the greatest good in harmony, compassion and belief.

It is more urgent now than ever. Too much is at stake. The Barisan Nasional government, is shell-shocked, does not have the answers, insists it would, come what may. And ensures it does not.