Dear BlueRider,

Thank you for your second letter . Your letter is of course compelling and contains some grains of truth. However, I would like you to consider just a few things.

Have you ever asked yourself why it is that the under-privileged (or perhaps I should say un-privileged) get on better in life than those who are privileged, those who are special? I think that the answer is simple.

Those who have special rights tend to lean on their special rights and then decide that they can get by without having to work for a living. The world does not owe anyone of us, privileged or otherwise, special or otherwise, first or second class, a living. That is why we, the 'un-special,' work so hard.

When Bahasa Malaysia (at least that is what it was called in my time) was introduced to disadvantage us, we worked our butts off and got ahead of those who felt that they were special. I could not do business with the government because of certain restrictions, so I had to work extra hard to make up for the lack of access to this avenue.

When I bought my house, I knew I had to pay more and so I worked harder to get the money I needed. All this has basically made me more competitive, more adapt to the changing world.

Now, if you, BlueRider, want to stay special but not competitive, that is your prerogative. But I think you do the rest of the Malays, a race that I respect, a great disservice. My parents used to drum this message into all of us as we were growing up: 'no one is going to help you succeed, so you have to make your own successes.'

Let me relate something that opened my eye many years ago when I was a rookie, just starting out in my career. I was working as a sales representative for a company. I visited a client and was talking to one of the Malay staff of the client.

We got on the subject of winning the lottery and I said to her that if I ever won the first prize I would quit working altogether. Hearing this, she said something to me that I will never forget.

She said, "Don't you ever think like that. That is how the Malay's think, that's lazy thinking. You should take that money and invest and create more! And we Malays must also stop thinking like that."

I don't think that her statement was meant to be racist or to contain any racial slurs. It was simply that she wanted us, regardless of race or creed, to think more progressively.

Well, BlueRider, all I can say is, you are entitled to your opinions, and to your special rights. But if they get in the way of your progress, and you can bet they will, then it will be a shame for all Malaysians, not just for the Malays alone.

I trust that this letter will be taken in a positive light - for it was written with that intention. Peace.