Master Racist: Today, a friend, CK, forwarded a short essay written by someone who was identified as the master racist. His short essay begins thus:

I was not mistaken in my virulent attack against the chinks. It was directed against that putrid little cocksucker who wants to be white. I concur whole-heartedly with James (Malaysiakini.com columnist) -- the subhumans use Christianity as a tool to differentiate themselves from the predominantly Muslim Malays.

He then went on to recount a number of real life experiences (all plossible, I admit) that he thinks justifies his virulent brand of racism and the present set of discriminatory government policies. As he sees it, "until and unless we [the Malays] gain the minimum 30% equity in distribution of wealth and economic power in Malaysia, this Malay Apartheid must continue."

If I had read the same essay a couple of years ago, I may have felt angry, but now, having heard it repeated so many times, I just find it banal. Yet, the question remains, what is the reason for the prevalence of such thought? Why is it so difficult for so many to see that the present set of policies, geared towards that magical 30 percent, are flawed to its core?

In the early 70s, when the foreigners owned about 70 percent of our nation's share capital, we were told that only transfering the wealth would end racism, and we did. The Malay people, who then owned about 2.5 percent of the share capital, now own anywhere between 20 to 30 percent -- depending on which source you rely on, and we don't see any reduction in racism; in fact, it appears our countrymen have become bigger racists than before.

"Master Racist" was right to point out a fact. We all live in our own little parallel worlds: "India" live in their Indian world; "China" live in their Chinese world; and the "Melayu" in their Malay world. It was said that NEP was introduced to demolish this worlds, and create one united world; it didn't. In fact, in the 30 years of its implementation, it simply seemed to have solidified the boundaries between these worlds. The only difference now is that people of these different mental worlds live in contiguous physical plots.

By the way, have you seen an intelligent Malay kid? I seldom did. In my secondary school, there were hundreds of Malay students, but none -- I mean this: none -- in any of the Perdagangan or science classes. And when I went to my lower six, there were four Malay students in the science stream, none with results you'd consider good, but all left before the month turned into May. So, I thought Malays are dumb, generally, and if not for the State help, they'd all be in the sewers. There were some exceptions, like my neighbour and childhood mate, Adi, who though wasn't a genius, was pretty decent by any measure.

Only after leaving the country, and seeing better 'quality' Malay students abroad, particularly in the US, did I begin revising the prejudices formed while a teenager. I am now completely convinced that Malays are just as dumb or intelligent, committed or lazy as any Chinese- or Indian-Malaysian kid. If the policies are implemented properly, without segregating students in (mental and physical) ethnic enclaves, I am certain a greater understanding and appreciation would blossom ... but the change could only be brought about by the State, now manned by "overzealous" politicians and bureaucrats. When they talk about integration, they mean assimilation; when they say unity, it means subjugation.

Will we ever learn? er...