Noor Yahaya Hamzah's letter was a refreshing change in the course the dialogue on the NEP was taking. It really is not about Chinese interests, the Malay agenda or Indian marginalisation. I think that we all agree that the poor must be given special privileges, a leg up, whatever their ethnicity.

I think that we all agree that our people deserve good, transparent governance, a good education system that ensures every citizen - whatever his ethnicity - a chance to achieve his potential, a good health system, decent homes, clean air, a public transport system that is efficient and safe and a honest justice system.

And as Noor Yahaya also says, we should make the country attractive for investment both domestic or foreign for if we don't, we'll face serious problems in the future what with our current level of expenditure.

We need to expand the economy. We need to make the cake bigger. We need investment, local and foreign. We need talent in that we to retain our own besides attract it from other countries.

Let those who can afford pay their own way and keep the scholarships or subsidised housing for those really in need. Let entrepreneurs find their own level. Recognise the cultural differences that make the Chinese more entrepreneurial and encourage greater interaction between the races so that we learn from each other.

Like we did in the old days on the playing fields, in the mixed neighbourhoods, in schools and universities, in the civil services and everywhere else. Today we appear segregated in more areas looking at each other either suspiciously, resentfully or curiously.

Today we are constantly measuring each other in material terms with a total lack of concern for the degradation of our environment, our institutions and our values. We are no longer a cohesive nation.

Let us together write a new agenda for the nation. Let us write an agenda that seeks genuine unity, that recognises and respects cultural and religious differences. We do not need to dress in the costumes of warriors or brandish knives to suggest the presence of enemies standing in the way. We do not stand in each other's way. We should all move together and help each other.