I am touched by Pelita Negara's defence against insinuations by Minister of Culture and Tourism Kadir Sheikh Fadzir that the Chinese Malaysian community lacks in patriotic spirit.

While I detect frustration in Pelita's tone which may have influenced some of his more emotive arguments in which I may not agree with, I must say that such sincere appeal for understanding merits our attention and response.

Unfortunately, I am o­nly qualified to give my personal perspective to the extent that it can relate to Pelita's appeal.

As a Malay child, I grew up in a political environment that stressed heavily o­n our survival as a race. As a youth, I was a beneficiary of the political-economic legacy which responded to that concern. Thankfully, it was that legacy which enabled me to acquire knowledge and experience that shaped the self-confidence and broad-mindedness to respond to Pelita in the way that I am.

In that, I will always be grateful to my Malay forefathers for their far-sightedness and sacrifice, and to Pelita's forefathers for their tolerance and understanding.

For those who choose to see, the education aspect of the National Economic Policy benefits nation-building in the long run, directly or indirectly. As for other aspects, I have nothing praiseworthy to say.

Moving forward, I am concerned at how Pelita and I, as the products of our brief history, can together look ahead at what legacy we are leaving our children and grandchildren.

After 46 years of independence, patriotism of migrant races should by now be a non-issue. It is o­nly raised by archaic politicians with post-colonial mentality, and it reflects their own shortcomings as national leaders.

Quite frankly, I find it hard to imagine my non-bumiputera friends having allegiance elsewhere. Where - China, Taiwan, India? They would be misfits as I would be, in pledging my allegiance to Indonesia. The reality is, by normal process of political socialisation, the migrant races, by choice or by pragmatism, will adhere to Lee Ban Chen's masthead "Di mana bumi di pijak di situ langit dijunjung".

It seems to me that instead of welcoming and encouraging that reality, unenlightened personalities pick o­n non-bumiputeras over the matter of patriotism whenever they feel insecure over their own inadequacies as leaders; by making inferences that result in their followers feeling threatened by the other races. Consolidation by fear.

The key word is 'threatened'. It arises out of communal distrust, not national non-allegiance. Communal distrust is a by-product of communal politics, of which the biggest propagator is BN, the party of the said minister. Shame o­n you, minister, for capitalising o­n a self-ingrained weakness to further your own waning political fortunes.

It might surprise Pelita to know that there are a growing number of progressive Malays who have transcended this mental stupor of racial prejudices. This is done, not through artificial nurturing by government propaganda and opportunistic flag-waiving, not through listening to mind-numbing patriotic songs o­n TV, and not by identifying with those resource-absorbing stupid feats mentioned by Pelita.

It is done - brace yourselves - through Islamic religious enlightenment!

If Pelita and those like him find my contention unbelievable, then I would be just as slighted as Pelita when he first found it necessary to pour out his innermost feelings in defence against pot-shots by unenlightened politicians.

My point is, we have all been victims of divisive politics perpetrated by the BN. Just as Malays are constantly being reminded of alleged non-Malay 'greed' that will overwhelm us, non-Muslims fears are now being provoked by alleged Islamic 'barbarism' that will victimise non-Muslims.

My humble opinion is simply that the likelihood of non-Malays marginalising the Malays is as remote as the day when a non-Muslim thief's hand is cut off in Malaysia. Think hard. The numbers for either to happen are just not there.

When Umno found that its Malay nationalist platform no longer attracted the Malays - eroded by its own corruption and hypocrisy - it moved o­n to erode PAS acceptability as a dominant player by playing o­n non-Muslims' fears of Islamic 'excesses'.

So, just as I had opened my heart to Pelita's pleas, will he reciprocate by opening his heart to my religious perspectives? It will not be a cakewalk, but if we keep o­n talking to each other, we will find that middle ground that does not substantively compromise our integrity.

But will they let us talk? Freely, and without professional agent provocateurs igniting self-fulfilling prophecies?

That is what we need to fight for first. The right to assemble; the right to free expression in a civilised dialogue - without which, we will continue to be politically blackmailed into tolerating perverse corruption, selective prosecution and human rights abuses.

The minister's accusation is part of that blackmail. Our dialogue is part of the solution.