Malaysia is more polarised along racial lines today than it has ever been. It is sad that my children will have to grow up in a Malaysia that is more race conscious than back in the early 1970s. Children in Malaysia today are exposed to racial distinction and unfair grading along racial lines, thanks to the government's policies on education.

Even if my son has been the top 10 in the whole of Standard 3 in his school, he may not get into the 'A' class. Why? Because of the quota system which reserves 55 percent of 'A' class for bumiputra.

We adults can accept this easier because we have always been second-class from the day we were born. An Indonesian born in Indonesia, if he gets a citizenship here, is allowed to buy a house at seven percent discount. We adults are immune to this unfairness and in some sense have justified it for the sake of equal distribution.

However, how do I explain this to an innocent 10-year-old boy, who at that age, has a stronger sense of fair play than most adults? How do I explain this to him without arousing a sense of bitterness towards others in his class or creating racism within that pure little heart? I hope that our dear education minister can give us parents the answer.

Why is it then that most Chinese parents today send their children to Chinese schools? Mind you, a Chinese school is not my top option, as the students are so overly pressured that there is no more fun in their childhood. But apart from protecting them from the racial overtones and undercurrents that occur in a national school, these schools allow children to excel according to their potential and be somebody who can contribute to the society for the development of our beloved country.

I think most Malaysians - Malay, Chinese or Indian - are quite fed-up of a government that consistently uses 'May 13, 1969' as a threat, or every opportunity to prove that there is still a divided Malaysia and, therefore, the need for a coalition divided along racial lines. It really reflects badly on a government that has ruled for more than 40 years but is still unable to create a united Malaysia. We have in the four decades not achieved a united Malaysia but a 'hush, hush Malaysia' where discontent is bleeding from the heart but there is no channel to voice it out for fear of repercussion.

If there is a party today that can best represent Malaysia for Malaysians, where the party platform is not along racial lines, that would be the party to lead Malaysia successfully for the next half century. That would be the choice for all Malaysians. Can that party arise from the soils of Malaysia to serve Malaysians of all walks of life?