I am impressed by the fact that the United States and many Western European governments are not exempt from cronyism and circus politics, although their political traditions have been imbued with democratic values throughout the centuries.

Although many of these governments fail to live up to the ideals of democracy, I feel that the cornerstone of democracy, the very definition of it, that the population is able to hold the governments accountable, is ultimately upheld.

Every progressive country has the characteristic of a dual-party system, one forming the government and the other holding it accountable. The judicial system aside, this is the quality I believe perpetuates the progress of these countries but is something that is sorely lacking in Southeast Asia.

I am frequently disappointed by the lack of credible political opposition that would counter-balance and hold the incumbents accountable for their actions in more modern countries like Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.

I am even more sorely disappointed with the politics in Malaysia when any discussion of politics eventually disintegrates into an argument about race and special rights of the indigenous people.

Malaysia is one of the few countries that enshrines ethnic segregation - although in a milder and greyer form - in its constitution. The statement is not a point-of-view, it is a fact.

The problem with Malaysia is not that affirmative action is legally enforced, it is that it is constitutionalised and cemented as a defining character of the country.

Affirmative action may be controversial and in spite of it promoting separatism, it is still beneficial for a nation where the majority of the population can benefit from it and the whole country progresses.

The fact of the matter, in a world which operates with country-states, to progress in a league of nations, the main agenda of any government must be to 'nation-build' and not to 'people-of- particular-race-build'.

Leaders must be enlightened to design the country's progress in this manner; any other agenda other than to build the nation invalidates any reasoning to uphold the manner of affirmative action that is currently being practised in Malaysia.

I am sure that any reasonable member of the establishment would be clear about this. The only explanation why the current establishment is so brash, and dare I say, corrupt in its practices is that there is no form of accountability.

Many would say that it is the failure of the opposition that this situation occurs, but I think that the population is also equally to blame. Populations in progressive countries realise that any centralisation of power is dangerous, therefore, the people must vote in a credible opposition into parliament.

The general population of Malaysia reeks of apathy, short-sightedness and irrational inertia to make this change possible. The sad fact of the scenario in Malaysia is that people are too blinded by the race issue and choose to give power to parties that promote dissension among the peoples.

On the flip side, the participants in the establishment and the opposition are neither wise nor magnanimous (maybe the right word to use is brave?) enough to propagate ideas to set up a situation whereby a system of accountable governance could be established.

In a short summary, what is the use of being moderately modern with two half-empty towers and a trophy airport, when in comparison, a small island with virtually no resources at all is outperforming a country which is geographically 50 times larger and has a population six times larger than it?

I am not disappointed as a Chinese, I am disappointed as a Malaysian. Any government that sees this situation as acceptable should have been voted out long ago. Unfortunately, the alternative to the establishment might not have done, or do, a better job.

Now, that's a real dilemma isn't it?