Reader Aida Hassan (PM has no right to make contemptuous remarks, Feb 5) is obviously a very competent Malay Malaysian who has thrived outside the business utopia created for the bumiputera (sons of the soil) in Malaysia. She has obviously felt insulted by the comments made by Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad when he described the Malays useless and insignificant at a recent function.

Like her, I, as a Chinese Malaysian, have taken offence to the PMs Merdeka message last year.

His remarks were hurting and insulting to the Chinese Malaysian. More so because they were made almost immediately after the general elections when the ruling coalition Barisan Nasional government was returned to power thanks to the Chinese Malaysian voters.

He has often accused the people of being ungrateful to the government but he is just as guilty of biting the hand that feeds you syndrome.

My point is that we should be more wary of the empty promises dished out by the racially segregated BN government. Whenever they want our votes, theyd promise to build vernacular language schools, new roads and bridges. Malaysians would be called "heroes" and the rakyat (public) are promised the sky just before and during the elections.

In between, the Malays are called lazy and ungrateful, the Chinese are communists and opportunistic with no love for this country.

This is indeed a sad state of affairs for Malaysians.