I am appalled that our politicians continue to make uneducated statements which degrade those who have contributed as much (as Malay Malaysians), or even more, to this country.

The independence of our country from British colonial supremacy has guaranteed that Malay Malaysians have the upper hand over the rest of the citizens.

However, this country is not built by only one race. It is built by all Malaysians. Anyone who has a little knowledge of our history knows that the economy is not dominated by Malay Malaysians.

Affirmative action has helped push the Malays in a progressive direction. This intention created both negative and positive effects which were brilliantly highlighted by our PM.

The obvious positive effect is that most Malay Malaysians have increased their standard of living. The negative effect is the creation of a false sense of security which, evidently, has prompted our politicians to make nave and shallow comments.

Like many others, I have already accepted the fact that "Malay privileges" will stay and benefit the Malays for many generations to come. This is an apparent fact of life. But recent development of the thoughtlessness in our politicians is disturbing.

The continuous showing-off of Malay supremacy by our leaders-to-be will not achieve any good but will fuel the dissatisfaction of other races. This will further weaken our government campaigns to create a harmonious and unified country.

In my opinion, peace and harmony are the most important factors in governing a successful country. Without this, further development will be impossible. It will not only affect other races, but also Malay Malaysians.

Being respectful of other cultures and traditions will not only create peace and harmony but also will win the respect of other races for our politicians. I would urge future leaders to keep in mind that, without the unification of all the races, peace and harmony will not be achieved.