One of the key grouses of certain Malaysians who belong to the Indian-Muslim community is that they are deprived of not only becoming 'Malays' but also 'bumiputera'.

Whilst Indian-Muslims, after a few generations could disguise their progeny as 'Malays' by dropping "son of", "daughter of" or "anak kepada (A/K)", and adopting "bin" or "binti" in their birth registration certificates, they could pass themselves as Malays and accepted by the authorities as such. This had enabled them not only to enjoy all the rights and privileges reserved only for the Malays but quite a number of them had been able to become ministers, and even

prime minister.

Some outrageously change their names and the way they are spelled, which still sound very much Indian in origin to make it more Malay sounding. One such example is "Mahbob A/K Mohammad Kutty" has been changed into "Mahmood bin Mohammad".

Others have their claims to being Malays based only on their Muslim names and their Islamic religion, which they hardly practiced. One such character was a personality who was involved 25 years ago in creating a multi-billion ringgit loss to a bank that is supposed to champion the Malay cause in commerce and industry.

The Arabs, by virtue of the fact that they are held in high esteem by the Malay community are almost immediately honoured as a "Malay". Hence, we have "Syed, Syyeed, Merican, Khan, Patchi, Kutty, Bapu, Maiddeen, Habib, Gulam, etc, as Malays. Indeed, the Malay race is

among the few races that has been legally defined. This group had been in the corridor of power and have acted as power brokers to the powers-that-be since the Melaka sultanate.

What upset some of the Malays themselves is that these pseudo-Malays are acting as if they are more Malay than the Malays themselves in championing the Malay cause. Hidden behind all these are their continued greed for power and self-gratification and esteem.

Some in the Chinese community, especially the Melaka and the Straits Settlement "Babas and Nonya", have been in this country for hundreds of years, and they have adapted very well to the language and culture of the Malays, can never be Malays. This is despite that they could well be off-springs of Hang Li Poh and Sultan Mansor Shah.

In the context of the above, Malaysians should recognise our own unique mosaic of religious and cultural traditions and identify ourselves as Bangsa Malaysia, where all are bumiputera of Malaysia.