As National Union of the Teaching Profession secretary-general N Siva Subramaniam was being called to Bukit Aman for questioning with regard to the unions claim that there is racial segregation in schools, I recall how I was called to Bukit Aman in 1995 when I exposed the horrific and atrocious conditions in Immigration detention centres. Seven years down the road, my trial remains at the Magistrate Court. The government is now unsure of what to do as former detainees unveil the truth.

Similarly, Siva has nothing to fear, if he holds on to the truth.

But what is that truth? And who holds the truth? The truth is hidden because the government that did the research refuses to make public its real findings. The persons who did the research need to be honest as well. Academicians especially cannot conduct a study and keep the truth away just because the government refuses to be transparent.

The expertise that rests in the hands of academics must be used to arrive at the truth. Thus academics must rise to the occasion and speak the truth and not be used as a tool to sustain the status quo.

The truth is revealed in the in the schools as well. Children seldom lie in reflecting the realities of our society. What we see in the behaviour of our children, is a reflection of how our society, our leaders, and our different communities think, act, interact, and construct our values and norms. Thus segregation in schools is not a new or surprising reality.

The longer communal politics is practised, the more defined segregation will be in the community, in universities, and in schools. This will be the consequence. It has been a historical fact that each racial community will see the need to be with its community as it feels more secure and protected.

Thus, Umno has begun to react strongly as it feels threatened. An admission of the current reality would mean to depart from communal politics to multi-racial politics. This would mean adopting the principles of Keadilan (of which the writer is a member): evolving a new politics for the nation that will ensure integration and justice for all communities.

It is this fear that is at the core of strong resistance to recognizing segregation. Therefore, in order to hide the truth, the current status quo uses its power to control information, harass anyone who has some authority to speak on the issue, and quickly do damage control by proposing to establish integration clubs.

Will all these attempts work? To some extent it will if people remain silent. But if parents and community leaders speak and express concern, then the truth will set us free.

This is important if we want to ensure the truth for our children. As a parent, my daughter very often has expressed her frustration at a schooling environment that reflects communal tendencies in the decisions it makes on school representation, on support given to academic performance, and on how discipline is meted out.

This is expressed through questions like: Why are the majority of Indians in the weakest class where the least attention is given? Why is representation not reflected by the capacity or performance of individual students but on ethnic lines?

These are only two small examples. But they are good enough to bring about segregation. The truth is seen in our children. And to politically harass Siva Subramaniam is unjust. At the same time, I hope Siva realises that his courtship with the ruling elite only goes as far as one remains a zombie or toes the line prescribed by the ruling elite.

To Siva, hold on to the truth. We are with you.

( Editors Note : This letter was sent two days ago. Todays newspapers reported that Siva had apologised for the misunderstanding he caused between the relevant parties, following the prime ministers request that the matter be put to rest.)