I refer to the malaysiakini report Ethnic relations module: Academics ready to help .

While I support the call by the Persatuan Sains Sosial Malaysia (PSSM) for transparency before the publication of the ethnic relations module textbook, I really wonder why it took the PSSM so long to respond to this controversial module.

The PSSM has been in existence for sometime in Malaysia, but unfortunately it merely spends its time organising seminars and conferences. The radical and bold days of the PSSM were during the time of Prof Syed Husin Ali. Following this, the PSSM has gradually become timid - an unrepresentative organisation of academics in Malaysia.

While PSSM has rightly called for transparency in the publication of the module's textbook, can't it move beyond this simple measure? Is it or isn't it in a position to mobilise the Malaysian academic community to debate this controversial module and make representations to the government on this very important issue?

With due respect, I must state the PSSM has lost its purpose in our fast-changing Malaysian society.

Even if the PSSM cannot do much to stop the publication of this module's textbook, it should initiate some moves to reprimand and take to task certain academics who have collaborated with the government to produce the module. Unfortunately, the academics who have cooperated on this project are probably members of PSSM too.