It is rather too late for Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad to touch on the subject of 'crutches' and the Malays. I am sure being at the helm for such a long period, he should have seen the problems coming. So who is to be blamed?

The answer lies with him. He is a doctor and he has even said that he looked at crutches differently. Many too have voiced their reservations about the affirmative action policy, but despite their criticism — and possibly to maintain his popularity — he continued doling out excessive handouts.

Those who continued to criticise the programmes were labeled 'extremists' or racists.

Now that Mahathir has announced his intention to step down, but has taken the opportunity to remark on the removal of crutches, is he not passing the buck to his successor? I sympathise with the next prime minister for he has an enormous and difficult task ahead to re-balance the expectations of a community dependent on handouts and remove their crutches.

He has now created a new dilemma: either way the continuation or removal of the crutches will cost the Barisan Nasional government electoral support.