I follow with disappointment the recent goings-on - Suqiu, "Malay supremacy", etc. - and feel compelled to write to you to express my views which are shared by a lot of Chinese and Indians.

First, to the champions of ketuanan Melayu . The stand is a paradox. How can there be ketuanan Melayu when on the other hand, everything demanded for speaks of a weak race that needs propping up?

The new generation of non-Malays were born after the New Economic Policy. Some of us think it stinks to high heavens. The majority of us think it makes good sense but disagree with the implementation. Of course, we understand that the rural people (regardless of race) should be given a handicap to pursue higher education and avail themselves to better opportunities. Of course, it makes good sense to "prosper thy neighbour" by providing more opportunities for our Malay brethren.

But the Malays must learn to fish with the fishing rod given to them. And not ask a non-M to fish for them.

And every time there is a perceived threat, they gather to show their superiority in numbers, harking back to the old truism that "might makes right". Do they really want to fight? Is this what ketuanan Melayu is about?

The Indians and the Chinese are both competitive races. They have survived in large numbers in many countries; not only survived but thrived. No matter what you throw at them, they will take it and prosper on anyway.

At first, it was thought that the medium of instruction being changed to Bahasa Malaysia would let the Malays to do well in the education field. It lasted only a while and soon, the Chinese and Indians mastered the language and continued to excel.

The same goes for business. With all the connections the Malays could draw upon, they soon became owners and managers of the largest corporate entities in Malaysia. But the Malays need to learn to compete on a global scale if ketuanan Melayu is to have any relevance in the future. Otherwise, they will perish.

The NEP and then the New Development Policy is not the normal affirmative programmes found elsewhere in the world, in terms of scale, objective and implementation policies. It is not ketuanan , it is a shame.

There are some Malays who think the NDP should be done away with; if not now, some time in the future. But for now, the implementation should be changed.

It is akin to raising your child. You would expect that your child would one day be going on to live a life on his own. Maybe when he is 21, or 25. You would not want to let go of your child, of course, if he is retarded or handicapped. You may have to take care of him for life.