The saddest part about all those statements on meritocracy in our education system is not the shameless gimmick that they are in reality, but that the system — after decades — has failed to lift the standard of education among the poor, especially the bumiputra, in the rural areas.

For many years, the Education Ministry had imposed a quota system to favour them. The quota was then deemed desirable.

With the 'change' now, is the government saying that the quota system had failed and that meritocracy works better for us? The government should be more accountable and not pretend that it has done no wrong.

The same goes for the economy. If for more than 40 years the bumiputra still cannot attain the minimum 30 percent, the government should give way and let those professionally qualified steer the country to new heights.

It is time for the government and the nation to realise that social economic engineering cannot be continued forever if we aspire to be competitive worldwide.