I read that the higher education minister had recently directed our universities to recruit more non-Malay lecturers. I do not know what to make of it.

Is it sincere or just an idea to pacify the widespread dissatisfaction among non-Malays about the lack of teaching staff in our varsities? He should make it clear that promotion after recruitment will be based on performance and merit.

People joining any employment will want to know career prospects. If the approach on promotions, scholarships etc are going to be as in the civil service currently, this project of the minister is doomed to fail even before it takes off. So please be sincere about it and show it is not meant to be just an 'eye wash'.

Mustapha Mohamed also admitted that there is only one non-Malay dean in all our universities put together. The minister should ask himself how this situation came about and put in place balanced recruitment policies - to be strictly adhered to - so that there will always be fair representation of races among the teaching staff.

And why limit the non-Malay recruitment to lecturers only? Why not expand it to includes deans? I am sure there are plenty among non-Malays who will qualify for such appointments. This will help rectify the anomalies in the system and teaching standards can be raised immediately to everybody's satisfaction and to the benefit of our universities and their students.