As a Malay myself, I feel ashamed to hear calls made by some Umno delegates at their annual general meeting last week to continue with anti-modernisation and anti-globalisation policies of the past. These are the people living the past.

In the modern and globalised world, all individuals have to be competitive or learn to be competitive. To do so, we must not politicise or, worse still, racialise everything from the economy to education to religion, language, agriculture, businesses, wealth and income.

Otherwise, we would be blinkered or even blind to the fact that to succeed in life, individual initiative, imagination and effort are more critical than sloganeering.

All individuals in the Malay community must think for themselves. We cannot continue to be sheepish anymore. What one individual excels in does not mean that another can excel at it equally well. Every individual has his or her strong and weak points.

For example, if anyone from the Malay community wants to be employable in foreign companies, he or she must learn English and information technology.

However, there may be other individuals who feel that he or she can earn more or live better by being a farmer. If that is the case, then let him or her do whatever is necessary to be a good agriculturalist. We cannot force other individuals, either by law or by public opinion, to do things they do not like.

And to be competitive in this world, Malays must not antagonise everyone from the non-Malays to Westerners. If we do, there will come a time when Malays will have no friends to help or give advice.

We must be friends to everyone whether they are Chinese, Indians or Westerners. Remember, while historians, poets and politicians can claim that this land belongs to the Malays, the contemporary reality is that capitalism and market economy do not recognise such historical claims. With or without the Malays, the modern and globalised world goes on.

There is no one, no political party, no government and no NGO that can hope to stop the forces of modernisation and globalisation. No appeal to nationalist myths and mythologies like Hang Tuah, Hang Jebat, Kesultanan Melaka, Ketuanan Melayu, Majapahit or Sri Vijaya can save us from the onslaught of global market competitition.

Every individual in the Malay community must make his or her own choice - to be in harmony with the spirit of the times or be in conflict with it. Once an individual choice is made, the individual decision-maker must take the responsibility and face the consequences himself or herself.

Don't blame other individuals. Don't scapegoat other races or nations.