I would like to say a few words on Dr Musa Mohd Nordin's letter entitled Medical course choice not a 'divine right ' .

I would rather think that medical choice is indeed not a 'divine right' per se but it is a human right to demand fair and transparent admission process to the medical schools.

Before I start, I would like to state that the Universiti Malaya medical school was struck off the recognised overseas medical school list of the (British) General Medical Council (GMC) almost 20 years ago. Could our university admission process be at fault?

The accusation that admission of the extra 128 top STPM scorers into local medical schools will make the standard of medical education in this country deteriorate further is unfounded. On the contrary, it is the racially orientated education system with a lack of transparency that has been responsible for the deterioration of our education standard in general.

How many young talents have been told by local universities that they are no good but end up in top Ivy League universities in the US? How many young Malaysians have been told by local universities that they are not fit to study medicine but have done well in other countries' medical schools (including myself)?

As much as Musa likes to deny, excellent academic performance is a vital yardstick to judge as to whether a student's aptitude is fit enough for the tough training of medical school although I do agree that it is certainly not the only criterion.

In the US, pre-medical students have to complete a four-year degree programme with almost straight As before they are eligible to be considered as potential candidates for medical schools. The successful candidates have an average GPA of 3.85 and in addition have to score within the top one percent of the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) to be invited for interviews.

The admission panels would look into one's extracurricular activities, academic acumen and social skills and so forth to assess pre-medical students for admission. But only when the candidates are all academically competitive - as is almost always the case - would other criteria be taken into account.

Musa wrote: '... my orthopaedic colleague has written to the New Straits Times suggesting that this year's 800 (+ 128) 'budding docs' just spend two weeks tagging a houseman on call and he is very confident that by the end of the fortnight at least 128 would have aborted this holy idea of ever becoming doctors!'.

I think the statement itself shows a lack of confidence on the present selection system for university candidates which I share with Dr Musa and his orthopaedic colleague.

Nonetheless, it is human right to dream to become doctors. It is a basic right of young people to dream to be doctors. I can be sure that some of these young aspirants may turn out to be better doctors than us.

Many young non-bumi post-SPM school leavers have asked my advice as to whether they should continue their studies in STPM in order to secure a place at local universities for studies of their choice such as medicine and pharmacy.

My answer is really simple: go somewhere else unless you really cannot afford any other pre-university course other than the STPM. STPM is a dungeon for the non-bumi students who have to spend two years for it while their bumi counterparts only have to spend one year in the matriculation which almost secures them some places in the universities.

Those who can afford overseas education would rather spend their life savings on Australian matriculations or UK A-levels and are determined to go overseas rather than being slaughtered by the institutional racism that is deeply ingrained (but staunchly denied) in the present education system.

Many non-bumi students stay in the STPM programme because they cannot afford going overseas. The racial prejudice that all non-bumis are well off and shall not need preferential treatment of any kind has been deeply ingrained in the minds of the people who make the education policies of today.

The racial divisions of the bumi matriculation and the non-bumi STPM programme is actually de facto apartheid that has severely divided our young people of various races.

Protesting towards such a racial policy itself is not being racist. But advocating such clearly racial policies in promoting immorality itself is, and therefore it is a bigger evil than the polices themselves.

My next question is: how would Musa react if the 128 top SPM scorers who were denied the right to enter medical school were predominantly bumi?

Would Musa advocate a unified university entrance examination for all candidates from STPM and matriculation? Would Dr Musa advocate open matriculation to the non-bumi students? And abolish the racial divides of bumi and non-bumi? Would the nation get away from such racial divides in order not to hypocritically advocate 'integration'?

We cannot discredit the importance of academic merit followed by other stringent criteria such as one's extracurricular activities, emotional soundness, volunteerism and social skills. All should be taken into account but not ethnic background.

I agree with Musa that the 128 STPM top scorers and their families should not think that going to medical with excellent STPM results is a 'divine right'. What is it then? A political and racial gift from a neo-apartheid regime?

I would think they deserve to be treated as dignified human beings who are to be judged on their academic performance and willingness to excel and serve the country. Musa's sweeping statement, that: 'those doing Form Six who are obsessed with As and are grossly exam-centric' is itself racially biased. Do all the predominantly non-bumi STPM goers have the privilege of going to colleges in the UK like his own daughter?

I would dare to say Musa is being insensitive to other ethnic minorities' grievances as compared to his own daughter's. Presuming that his daughter is not on a Malaysian government scholarship, she at least belongs to the upper social ladder where she should be the last to get preferential treatment unless by racial preferences.

I would like to remind Musa that not all Malaysians - including a substantial number of non-bumis - have the privilege and ability to study overseas. Let us all Malaysians, including Musa and myself, treat other Malaysian children like their own.

It, however, seems too much to ask at the moment.