I, a South African citizen of Malay descent (Cape Malay or Melayu Selatan), have just returned home after spending one week in Kuala Lumpur. It was my first trip to Malaysia and I was completely overwhelmed by the little that I saw.

South Africa became independent in 1961 - the year that I was born. Your country is only four years younger than mine, but we, South Africa, are light years behind.

Okay, so you have your normal political and racial problems but from what I've read about them, either Malaysians have very high standards of their own or they are just spoilt!

If only South Africa's racial problems were that mild. You don't have to visit to discover how racial problems are dealt with here. The whole world seems to know how violent this country is.

Yet, walking around in KL, there are no visible signs of aggression, no graffiti, no loiterers on the street, etc.

Malaysians have got it right. Your ex-prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamed is a genius. Only someone with a gifted insight could have developed Malaysia into the model of modernity that it is today.