In reference to Wan Sou Hai's letter ('The bumiputra academic's dilemma', May 17), I am in agreement as to the deep-seated nature of ethnic bifurcation in our society in general and in academia in particular. Such bifurcation brought about by years of racial politics have divided the two ethnic communities in the academic as elsewhere.

A common platform to confront the present nature of hegemony cannot come by in an automatic sense, as one group of academics will be less willing to challenge the system simply because they have been the major beneficiaries.

Anyway, when focusing on regime hegemonic challenge, the academic community represents one level and there are others. Academic community can contribute to the process of change, but rarely that process of change emanates from the academia alone. In fact, only at a certain stage, the academic community, at least some sections of it, might add to the struggle. To expect a major intellectual challenge from the academia to the present order of things might be a naive expectation, although the process cannot be delayed, at least in the Malaysian context.

Although I don't have any real answers as to how the academic community as whole can play a vigorous role in the counter hegemonic discourse, but it must be admitted there is minor role, perhaps confined to a few progressive academics, cutting across the racial divide, a point of major fixation by the writer.

It is not that the present ethnic divide is not an obstacle, but the real question is how to go beyond, where right-thinking individuals would come together for a common action.

At least in the Malaysian context, the various forces that are currently challenging the present regime might not be construed really counter-hegemonic in the true Gramscian sense, but then we have to start somewhere. This is really the point of my article.

The writer talks about research being more directed in universities for the purpose of career and promotional prospects. I have no disagreement here, but then he is really giving a lot of credit.

My contention is that universities are basically lacking in research for both promotion purposes and for the advancement of knowledge.