I would like to refer to the letter written by Mohd Iqbal ([#1] 'Ketuanan Melayu' is historical [/#] (Feb 8).

I am sure nobody wants to argue on this issue any more than I do as it is akin to hitting our head against the wall. Let's focus on Malaysia as a nation; I am proud to be called a Malaysian . And looking around at our neighbours like the Philippines and Indonesia makes me thankful, too, to be a Malaysian.

We should not be too myopic in our own views as to neglect the whole nation. Do remember that it took the Malays, Chinese, Indians and all the other ethnic races to make Malaysia what it is today. You can call it a sort of symbiosis existence that thrives on the goodwill of every race involved in our nation-building. But the line between cooperation and destruction is thin. Do we want our nation to go the dogs just to please our own egos?

Day in and day out the term "globalisation" has been bandied about like an omen of doom by different parties. Our prime minister spoke about it the other day during the three-day meeting organised by the National Christian Evangelical Fellowship (NECF) Malaysia. What are we doing about it? Are we just going to sit around and squabble about who is better and who is not?

I commend the effort by NECF to point out the real danger facing our nation as a whole if not a horde of other small nations. Indeed, the time for bravado and hot air is past and the time for action is now. Let us get prepared to face this globalisation or risk being swallowed by the tide of change sweeping all over the world. Now is not the time to know who the best fisherman is among us, but how are we preparing to become better fishermen as a whole compared with the big-league fishermen out there.

Malaysia was not built by one race. We need each other. We need to help each other to succeed. Let us not undo the good work done by our forefathers.

Finally, the issue of ketuanan Melayu will be a moot point if our country becomes a slave to globalisation.