COMMENT Successful leaders will only be effective when they put the nation first and an excellent example is the late APJ Abdul Kalam of India, who was a rocket scientist but rose to become president of India.

We must strive to keep the nation united and always ensure that in all the things we do, the nation comes first.

Our greatest strength is our diversity and we must leverage on this and produce a great society that is the envy of the rest of the world.

Unity must start at home where parents nurture the child and inculcate patriotism for the nation.

Next is school where children are brought together by an education curriculum that exploits diversity and inculcates the spirit of nationhood.

Without such bonding where would our nation head to?

Political parties should always refrain from taking the easy way out and exploit racial and racial issues for political gain.

These are only short term gains but imagine the long term damage to the nation. Can we build nationhood on the basis of such politically divisive political statements that anger a particular community?

Vernacular schools are part of the historical diversity of the history of our education system and they have been nurtured by descendants of immigrants who have now become equal citizens of the country.

It is part of our heritage, our history and our culture.

To argue that for some reason the existing system is standing against national unity is simply sacrilege.

Asked any graduate of Tamil and Chinese schools and you will find that they are the most patriotic souls ever, even more than graduates of single stream schools.

C SIVARRAAJH is the MIC Youth leader.