With the Umno elections around the corner, it is very interesting to see Umno leaders trying to explain the concept of ketuanan Melayu .

This time around, Umno leaders are very mindful of the fallout from the Ahmad Ismail issue and do not wish to antagonise the other communities. But at the same time, they speak about it to garner support in view of the coming Umno elections.

Two different views of the meaning of ketuanan Melayu have been widely spoken about recently:

• ketuanan Melayu - is to call upon the Malay community to master the knowledge and skills of the world which includes science, economics, religion, etc, so that they can be successful and not be oppressed by anyone; and

• ketuanan Melayu - is in relation to the eminence, sovereignty and powers of the Malay rulers.

These greatly differ from the views held before the 12th general election when the meaning of ketuanan Melayu was depicted during the Umno general assembly.

However, as moderate as the current view of ketuanan Melayu may be, it still does not hold water.

If Umno leaders wish to call upon the Malay community to master the skills and knowledge required, they should just say: Bangsa Melayu perlu mahir dalam ilmu sains, matematik, ekonomi dan lain-lain untuk berjaya dan bersaing dalam arena antarabangsa.

The correct phase for eminence, sovereignty and powers of the Malay rulers is: Kedaulatan Raja/Sultan Melayu , which is already enshrined in our federal constitution, our national anthem and the Rukunegara.

Umno leaders should not drag in the royalty in their struggle for votes. The Malay rulers have spoken out against racism, saying that all citizens are equal under the law and their rights will be protected as enshrined under the federal constitution.

The term ‘social contract’ has been overused.

Non-Malays are not challenging the rights of the Malays/bumiputeras as enshrined in the federal constitution but the many policies implemented by the government in the name of the ‘social contract’ that have only enriched certain well-connected people.

Ketuanan Melayu i s and will always be seen by the other communities as meaning ‘Malay supremacy’.