According to the findings of the independent inquiry panel investigating NUTP's allegations of racial segregation in 210 national type schools, the practice of racial segregation, if any, was minimal and not done deliberately.

It was a result of having to juggle the "time table" to suit the students who are streamed according to a special programme sanctioned by the Ministry of Education. The lack of non-Malay pupils in national primary schools was another cause. (Nationwide, only 2.1 percent Chinese and 4.7 percent Indians)

Pending deeper analysis of the committee's methodology of investigations and conclusions, on first impressions alone, it would be believable that there was no intended segregation on basis of race alone on the part of headmasters and teachers. This is to say that even if the best non-Malay pupils were not placed in the best class, it is not an intended discrimination on race.

For even if they were otherwise placed they would only constitute (say) four to five percent and it would be logistically expedient to stream (after all, so few of them) in another class for ease of carrying out the Ministry's many special programmes to cater for religious studies, and the NEP objectives of sending students from rural areas to science streams in premier schools.

The root problem of this "polarisation" appears to be alienation on the part of non-Malay parents with the national education system when they send their children to vernacular primary instead of national type schools. The racial mix is better at secondary levels because of the absence of choice in that pupils in vernacular primary schools have to enroll in government secondary schools.

The proposed improvement of infrastructure of national type primary schools — like for instances more IT computer classes and pupil own language classes — will somewhat ameliorate the polarisation (something not heard of 30 years ago).

However it will not solve the basic "structural" problem of alienation arising from widespread perception by non-Malay parents that the national education system beginning from primary schools, emphasises the objectives of NEP in priority over those of meritocracy and standards of excellence.

They are afraid that the minds of their children, so influenced and moulded in a way that places no premium on competition and excellence, will be stultified and not be able to survive later in an increasingly competitive and tough new world.

Advocates of Chinese schools believe rightly or wrongly that the competition, discipline and the teaching of mathematics and Mandarin, an opportune language to know with the growing importance of China and other East Asian countries, better prepare their students for their future careers.

The parents of some 35,000 pupils of non-Chinese descent who send their children to Chinese vernacular schools must have thought along similar lines.

The fact that vernacular and private schools could not and should not be closed because the right to mother tongue and private education, not inconsistent with national objectives, is generally accepted as a right and not a privilege.

And the fact that the NEP is also accepted as the prevailing national objective that is above question and the banner under which the ruling coalition claims its legitimacy and support simply means that polarisation of the nature happening at primary level will happen and continue to happen when non-Malay parents remain dissatisfied and continue to be dissatisfied with the second, and take and continue to take recourse from the first.

This is a fact of life that Malaysians for now have to accept.

Like everything else that is symptomatic of polarisation and contrary to nation building for the long term, it roots are traceable to structural causes precipitated by our social and economic restructuring policies.

Since it is inappropriate, futile and pointless to address a cause, so I say it is pointless to lament and address its results and effects.

Lets live and let live and do our own thing.