I read the rebuttal of Tong Kong's by Dr Syed Alwi and could not understand how shallow the rebuttal argument was.

It is true that meritocracy cannot be quantified in certain areas of assessment but surely Dr Alwi should realise that in the instant case (assessment used for university entrance) it is not an issue of the quantitative or qualitative element but a common entrance assessment to determine that a fair basis of acceptance standard may be established. The crux of the issue is that the assessment basis used by the matriculation and STPM is perceived to be uneven and to resolve this we need to have a common basis of assessment.

We are not talking about foreigners coming with their country-based assessments for entrance into our universities but our very own citizens. The only way to resolve this is to have a common assessment basis, either through matriculation or through STPM, otherwise call the standard by any other name but not meritocracy.

The talk of Muslim Malaysia also does not bode well either. People like Dr Alwi must realise that the last election was won by the BN with the support of the non-Malays and without their support BN may have well been booted out. This was openly admitted by the BN leaders themselves. Non-Malays have never raised the issue of a Muslim prime minister.

However, the chauvinistic and shallow arguments of the like Dr Syed Alwi should not be allowed to take root to disparage the harmonious relationship and partnership that has developed among the races.