Khairy Jamaluddin is one of the most talked about men in Malaysia. But the eponymous Khairy of the Chronicles and the keris; the Machiavelli of the 'fourth floor' was nowhere to be seen. Perhaps he'd taken the day off.

The chap who turned up to discuss education policy was disappointingly normal - less combustible, more relaxed, and altogether more sensible than the Khairy of coffeeshop gossip.

As deputy leader of Umno's 750,000 youth members, he must reconcile a number of conflicting, and sometimes contradictory, positions. Yet despite this, much of what he has to say will resonate with academicians and the people on the ground responsible for turning the promised revolution in teaching and learning into a reality.