Then Acting Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's call for Malaysians, especially the civil service, to develop first world working practices is indeed laudable, except that o­ne wonders why even after almost 50 years of independence we have yet to achieve this.

But this aside, what about implementing first world standards o­n equally important matters like human rights, racial equality and economic rights for all citizens?

Will we need to wait for another 100 years or more for something so basic, or will it be a dream forever?