We were racing through heavy afternoon traffic, siren wailing. I was aghast that the cars in front of the ambulance I was in were slow in giving us right of way. 'Why can't they understand,' I thought, 'A life is at stake'.

In London, the ambulances have on-board cameras. Anyone caught obstructing an ambulance can be hauled to court for manslaughter.

I saw a traffic policeman at a junction and beamed happily. Surely he will help stop the inconsiderate drivers to give way to an ambulance.

But my jaw dropped when I saw his palm upright right at us asking us to stop. Then, on our left, a parade of cars passed, led by a long, big, black car with darkly-tinted glass.

'What? Why are we stopping?' I asked the ambulance driver. 'Power, doctor, power is greater then the life of a patient,' he answered, all too knowingly.

We were on the way to rescue a 41-year-old man having difficulty breathing, whose family said was unconscious. That would normally mean a dire emergency, a man fighting for his life. Getting there fast was everything, to give him a chance to live.

But apparently that is not important enough. Not as important as a smooth uninterrupted passage for certain people.

I was told we do this (give way to VIPs on the road) in the name of respect. But really, do we even understand the meaning of the word? What do we respect? Money, power, and position? That not all people are equals as fellow human beings?

How would we feel if the dying man was a relative or - just imagine - you yourself?

Why is it in this country the life of a man is valued less then position and prestige? The Malaysian constitution says everyone is equal. Religious, moral and universal values teach us that every man has a right to life. That no man is above the law.

We are taught respect and highly value it as an innate aspect of our culture and eastern upbringing. And yet we are blind to respect for life.

So who cares if this man dies because the ambulance arrived too late because it was held up in traffic held up for some higher mortals. Why should you care?