I refer to M Ahmad's letter entitled Unadulterated chauvinism in Singapore .

I am a modern Malay-Muslim Singaporean who served my National Service in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF). There are many Malays who serve in the SAF in various capacities. So I do not know where M Ahmad got the idea that Singaporean Malays cannot serve in the SAF. That's a blatant lie which Malaysian Malays like to believe.

Secondly - yes, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and even Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew have said that there are certain categories of positions in the SAF which Singaporean Malays ought not to be in. I - as a modern Singaporean Malay-Muslim - support that view. Why ?

Just ask yourself this most disturbing question - are you, as a Malay-Muslim Singaporean, prepared to hurt Malay-Muslims elsewhere in order to uphold the political interests of the non-Muslim majority in Singapore? Would you shoot at Malaysian Malay-Muslim soldiers if they charged at your fellow Singaporean Chinese comrades?

That's the bottom line. If you are not emotionally prepared to shoot at Indonesian or Malaysian soldiers because of racial and religious ties, then you should not be in a sensitive position. I understand that Malaysia has Chinese generals. But that's Malaysia's business. That's Malaysia's choice. For us in Singapore however, we know for certain that the Muslim concept of a global 'ummah' does come in the way of combat.

Indeed, this issue of loyalty has spread to America and Europe in the post-Sept 11 political discourse. It all boils down to the Muslim concept of a global 'ummah'. Does the interests of the 'ummah' come first before national interests? For example, it is in the American interest to secure cheap and plentiful petroleum supplies. Would you as an American-Muslim support that even though you know that it could be against the interests of oil-producing Muslim countries?

I do not know where M Ahmad gets the idea that Malay-Muslim Singaporeans are severely discriminated against by Chinese Singaporeans. Perhaps he ought to stay in Singapore for a year or two. Singapore operates on meritocracy. There are no quotas or hand-outs for Malays in Singapore. But that is not discrimination, that is just fair, open market practice.

M Ahmad should get in touch with Singapore's Mendaki (a Malay self-help group) and the Association of Muslim Professionals (AMP) to find out the real situation in Singapore.

Indeed, I dare say that Singaporean Malay-Muslims are better off in Singapore than in Malaysia.