This is in response to the letter by Rais Hussin Mohamed Ariff's Indian M'sians need an ethnic renaissance .

Thank you for quoting statistics from The Economist . The truth is that these are mainly statistics. Any statistician will tell you that it can be distorted. Let us now go to the facts. A few years back, only one Indian student in the whole nation was given a place in medical studies. While I was studying hard for SPM, my bumiputera neighbour was playing badminton in the adjacent field. He managed a Grade 2 while I secured a Grade 1. Guess who secured a seat in a local university?

The principal of a public school was reluctant to allow me into Form 6 science stream due to the scores I obtained in my science subjects for SPM. Why did I even take the trouble to get into Form 6? I am reporting the facts, not quoting some magazine or history book. I obtained 6 As with an aggregate of 5 for my SPM.

I tried applying to the Royal Military College five times but they did even bother to send me an application form. There was an art competition in my school where first and second prize went to a non-bumiputera and a bumiputera respectively. The winner was to be sent to Japan on a short educational excursion. Guess who went?

The poorest Malaysians in this country do not even have electricity or running water. Note that I mentioned Malaysians, not just Indians. You mentioned India's middle-class lining up for water. I would beg to differ. You may be right if you had said the lower-class, certainly not the middle-class. They are the largest growing class in the world.

Corporations around the world are targeting the Indian middle-class as they have a lot of disposable income. A fresh graduate in India now makes between RM1,500 to RM2,000. Malaysia has lost its competitive edge. However, the statistics on India might show some distortion due to the size of its population.

Do you think any non-bumiputera civil servant has been bypassed for promotion? Look around, ask around. The results are not statistically there, but it happens and has happened.