I always welcome healthy debate and I think debates help clarify matters and promote mutual understanding, - but I won't stand for it when people start putting words into my mouth.

I have said this before , I will state it again. I can't speak for David Lim or LCH , but in my letters to malaysiakini , I have never advocated a policy that denies government's help to those who are in need. In fact, I am all for helping the poor.

For Dr G Walter to characterise my position as against helping the poor just because I am against racial policies like the NEP is a gross misrepresentation of my view.

There are rich bumis and poor non-bumis. NEP itself codifies that the poor non-bumis are not entitled to the same benefits as their rich bumi brethren. Isn't that discrimination?

Since when is opposing discrimination synonymous with bumi-bashing? What's wrong with extending help to all deserving citizens based on needs and merits regardless of race?

What I am against is the wholesale government subsidy to a particular race, regardless of their social-economic background. This policy not only places tremendous burden on the taxpayers, but also has a debilitating effect on the psyche of the recipients, as Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has repeatedly vocalised with regards to the crutch mentality.

On a side note, in his famous (or infamous) book, The Malay Dilemma , Mahathir specifically stated that genetic makeup (among other factors) accounted for the Malays' backwardness. I am not making this up. If I say that today, no doubt Walter will (rightfully) accuse me of bumi- bashing.

When people talk about the apparent inadequacy of bumiputra students and the Malays in particular, they are merely stating a reality, they're not bumi or Malay-bashing.

The bumis are neither genetically superior or inferior, but because they aren't put through the same challenges, they don't rise up to their full potential. But don't take my words for it, just read Dr Siti Mariah Mahmud's letter . Here is an observation straight from the horse's mouth, a former Malaysian medical school lecturer no less. Is she bumi-bashing?

People voice their grouses with the hope that the people in power will start to face up to reality and take steps to arrest the free fall in education standards. But while the powers-that-be indulge in self-denial, the education standards continue its free-fall.

I'm sorry if my comments hurt Walter's feelings, I mince no words. Not all people may agree with what I say, but my arguments are not rendered moot just because some people deem it insensitive or disrespectful. If Walter wants to engage in a healthy debate, he has to base his arguments on reasons instead of emotions.

With respect to the various Chinese associations, I have no objections to Walter setting up his own privately funded association to cater for his minority group. The government on the other hand is using public funds to finance private interests. It is hardly a fair comparison.

Walter said that meritocracy is a 'lazy and blind solution' to social-economic problems. I have to disagree wholeheartedly. I think it is the quota system that is lazy and blind solution to social-economic problems.

In fact, over the years, instead of solving the problem, it exacerbated it with the crutch mentality becoming ingrained.

In a mature democracy, people have the right and duty to continuously give input to the government. That helps to keep the government in check. Democracy doesn't mean voting every five years and the people's mandate is not a blank cheque. Being vocal about your view is part of the democratic process.

People that are disparaging of the government's policies and ineptness are so because they love the country too much to leave it to a handful of politicians. If we don't love the country and its people, we won't give a hoot if it goes down the drain.