It may not be the government's intention to segregate pupils in national primary schools along racial lines, but if the policies or the manner by which they are implemented leads to only six percent of non-Malay pupils being enrolled in national schools, this under-representation certainly shows that there is something very wrong going on that is subversive of the object of national integration. I call this "the problem".

Who is to be blamed for this problem? Certainly not those who directly or indirectly caused this state of affairs but the National Union of the Teaching Profession and N Siva Subramaniam, its secretary-general who raised and highlighted it.

They are coerced to apologise because even if they were morally right to highlight the problem to the public, they do wrong to those who would be embarrassed by the public disclosure for allowing the problem to subsist and fester.

Whilst no one can blame Siva personally for apologising to Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad (without admission that the stand taken by NUTP was reversed) especially when such pressure was brought to bear at the request of the PM and five hours of interrogation by the police, yet it has sent an unmistakable signal that might and not right will always triumph when one raises and fight for any public interest issue in this country.

Until now I have not been able to quite come to grips with the selfish attitude of most of my capable, wise and successful friends whose priority is to make money for themselves and the security of the families, rather than bother about the welfare of the general public or the country and public issues which they dismiss are issues for the foolish sentimental romantics. Now I know they know better.

The more one engages in controversy against the establishment the more one suffers, so let the public interest and what is right be damned.

Lets take care of our immediate needs and goals.