I refer to the Don's letter of Sept 17 ( The closing of the Malaysian mind ) and share his sentiment about the state of education in our country. However, I have bad news for him. The situation he described permeates practically all facets of our country. Mediocrity appears to the norm.

With the exception of a few sports, our efforts in all field of human endeavour rarely attain any international standard of note.

Let us not even talk about literature, science, education or economics. Even in areas that requires less intellectual vigour such as popular entertainment and business where we have many advantages, we have not fare any better. I do nor know of any locally produced film that has received international recognition.

Internationally well-known businessmen such as Robert Kuok and Quek Leng Chan are products of a different time. Majority of the recent batch of big local tycoons cannot survive without government support and protection.

In areas where there are internationally recognised benchmarks, we have consistently failed to achieve any meaningful progress. This is the salient feature of our national development in the last three decades.

Any progress and development we have attained thus far are largely because we have inherited an established and proven administrative, business, educational and legal systems, and that we are blessed with mild climate and rich natural resources.

We have neither improved nor have we innovated on the systems we have inherited. In many instances we have actually degraded perfectly workable systems. The wealth that we have extracted from the sea and land, we have squandered on real estates and showcase projects. An inordinate amount have been used to shore up favoured businessmen and bail them out of their financial excesses.

It is a dismal situation and more so when we contemplate the state of our education system for this is the base from which our nation's future is supposed to unfold. I have no solution but permit me to suggest a probable cause for this chronic malaise of suffocating mediocrity.

Our educational policies and practices are what they are because of the persistent and continuous intrusion of politics. For examples, last week it was reported that the local university academic sessions will be shortened by three weeks to accommodate the implementation of National

Service. Political imperatives have again relegate the interests of the students to the back seat. This is but one of the many instance of such occurrence.

The self interests politicians have crept into all levels of our society; from the appointment of judicial officials and civil servants to the awarding of rubbish collection contracts.

Our political "masters" dare to display their temerity despite so many instances of incompetence for they have no fear of losing political power.

We are so intimidated by their warnings of loss of racial dominance, ascend of a theological government or outbreak of chaos similar to what has happened in a neighbouring country that we have habitually return them to power in all elections since independence.

Therefore it is no surprise that they ignore us with such blatant impunity when their interests differ from our needs.

I have suggested a probable cause. Perhaps someone can put forward a practical solution.