Despite being a Malay from an older generation, I notice that the present generation of BN leaders in the Chinese and Indian parties are cut of a completely different cloth from the Chinese and Indian leaders who represented the old generation.

The old guard used to speak in the language of the pre-Merdeka days, but today's leaders do not. I suspect there is a sea of difference between the older non-Malays and younger non-Malays in terms of their aspirations and thoughts on the different political, social and cultural issues.

And perhaps these non-Malay leaders aren't as out of touch with the people whom they claim to represent. In my interaction with them, the present leaders do not seem particularly keen about the traditional issues promoted by the DAP, MIC, Gerakan, PPP or IPF.

And it looks to me that the future for racial-based political parties look bleak as the younger generation of Malaysians, regardless of their racial backgrounds, are exposed to different things from their parents and grandparents. Therefore, I do not see much future for DAP, MCA, MIC and other race-based groups in Malaysian politics.

The leaders of these parties are aware of this; but they still try to outdo each other by continuing to harp on issues related to religion, race and education, which I believe are issues that the younger generation find irrelevant. I would like to suggest that the present leaders of DAP, MCA, MIC and the other single-race parties to give way to a new generation of people to lead the party.