Also, how can we truly fixed our school system if we allow BTN to preach racist speech to the people? Lastly, how do you expect Chinese to send their kids to Sekolah Kebangsaan or Menengah if the quality of education is deteriorating?

That racial problems rear their heads from time to time even in advanced countries only shows how important race is and how difficult to manage. We were fortunate in that we started off with a formula that has stood us in good stead - by going back to those simple first principles we should continue to be a society that is both admired and respected.

Ketuanan Melayu, the current UMNO ideology, says Suflan, is ” immoral and unIslamic, and therefore unacceptable”. His alternative is a civil society movement that is non-partisan and independent to “advance a Malay culture and mindset, which rejects Ketuanan Melayu, and that is instead built on Islamic and universally held values, virtues and ideals, which include integrity, self-motivation, self-determination, a quest for knowledge, a desire for self-improvement, tolerance and respect”.

His idea of such movement merits our support, but let us not underestimate the enormous challenges that lie ahead, if the Suflan proposal is to take root and gain momemtum. These challenges are essentially political, coming from UMNO itself. If it takes root, UMNO’s raison d’etre will cease to exist and those who have benefited from its patronage will be threatened. Expect stiff opposition to his idea of an Achievement Oriented Malay society.

That said, it requires all Malaysians to rally behind such a movement, although it is Malay centered at first glance. We will benefit from it, because we as Malaysians need a new model which will put research, innovation and entrepreneurship at its core. To succeed, Suflan’ s proposal should not be perceived as political and racist in orientation.–Din Merican