I refer to M Bakri Musa's Indian Malaysians should avoid trap of special privileges .

As an Indian myself, I can assure Bakri that the community in general has never depended on privileges. Rather, the trap of the 'Barisan Nasional perspective' of national issues should be the one avoided.

There are indeed Indian Malaysians in danger of being too dependent on special privileges but they invariably comprise the office bearers of the MIC and other sundry political parties hanging on to the BN's sarong while claiming to represent Indians. They form a tiny minority.

The vast majority of Indians, in case Bakri is unaware, have fended for themselves against increasingly unequal odds over the past 48 years. They include the former rubber tappers and their children.

They include government servants who spent their life savings for their children's tertiary education overseas since social engineering requires other lesser qualified students to be given preference at local universities.

In fact, Bakri might be interested to know that the basic relationship between the politicians and the average Indian has not been one of the former handing out benefits to the latter but rather the other way around.

The average Indian has put a great deal more money into such black-holes as the National Land Finance Society, Maika Holdings, etc than he has received from or via Indian politicians. The politicians and political appointees managing these organisations have, on the other hand, become pretty comfortable, financially speaking.

In other words, Barisan Nasional Indian politicians have been having a good ride on the broad backs of several million Indian Malaysians.