Amazing. Just one word describes my reaction when reading all the letters about Indonesian immigrants. What has happened to Malaysians? Must we always blame others for our problems? Everything is the fault of 'the other'.

Let us face the consequences of our actions. We wanted a good life fast and we were not willing to work for it. So we brought in all these immigrants to work on our large projects.

We wanted to be industrialised, we wanted to leave agriculture, so we brought in foreign workers for our local plantations.

I find Din Merican's letter 'Enough is enough!' (Jan 24) appalling, and I am ashamed to call myself a Malaysian. I have heard better speeches from the Ku Klux Klan.

Does he really think that we will do better by improving our manufacturing sectors to be less labour intensive? So what is he saying, it is better to let people starve to death without a job by having machines working for us?

His letter only shows his contempt for human life and dignity.

Riots and violence are caused by one thing. Ignorance. We have been importing ignorance for a long time.

We got ourselves cheap labour, but we did not bother to provide this 'brute' or his children with proper amenities.

We did not give him or his children education. No, that will cost us would it not? At the very least we did not give him respect. For if we do, what is the point of cheap labour then?

It may be true that some less desirable elements of the Indonesian society got into our country, but again, did we not encourage this by our desire for rapid industrialisation? Do not point the finger at others, when your own house is not in order.

There comes a time when one must take the position that is neither safe nor politic nor popular, but he must do it because conscience tells him it is right: Dr Martin L King.