Like Second Class Citizen, I too would like to tender my apologies for my ignorance and for being 'unspecial'. Like SCC, I too, often feel like a Second Class Citizen.

My children will also find it hard to get into local universities, despite the fact that they will probably do better than their 'special' classmates. They are good, understanding kids. They only trouble is that they were born 'unspecial'. I guess I should apologise to them, too.

When I visited a friend who lived in a house costing some RM500,000, he was talking with his neighbour who was 'special.' And because his neighbour was special, his neighbour was able to get a seven percent discount for his house. Imagine that, a RM35,000 discount for being special.

My friend, who is as 'unspecial' as me, had to pay the full price. Why someone who can afford such a house like that should even get a discount is beyond my understanding. Poorer people may need help, but I fail to see why rich people should qualify for this discount, special or not.

And if you think like a businessman, someone else will have to pick up the discounts given to some. After all, no businessman wants to lose out on his profits. Not too many altruistic businessmen around. Guess who picks up the discounts? The 'unspecials.'

I am glad that Pak Lah understands that he is the prime minister of all races, special or otherwise. I trust that he will lead the country to greater heights and greater glory. Unfortunately, his task will be made more difficult by people who continue to hold on to this 'specialness'.

Tell the world that you are special and they will see it as a weakness. When you are competing against the rest of the world, people will laugh in your face if you ask for special business rights. Compete successfully on your own merits - only then you will show what special means.

I met a friend who had gone to another country and asked whether he felt that he was second class there. After all, there in a western country, his Malaysian features stood out.

His answer was interesting. Yes, he did sometimes feel second class but there were laws to protect immigrants. At the least, the laws of his adopted home there spelt out equal opportunity regardless of colour or creed. Now, that's special.