A decade ago if someone tried to have any meaningful discussion of the highly sensitive Malay special rights issue, I have no doubt that certain parties would cry for their houses to be burned to the ground.

I wish there were more Malays like Zafer Hashim willing to discuss these national issues openly and with a broad mind. However, I do have a question for Zafer and those who think that these special privileges are their inherent right. When will all segments of the Malaysian society be at par with one another? Ten years, 20 years, 50 years?

There is no country in this world which has all segments of their society at par with one another. This is an unattainable utopia - especially when citizens of a neighbouring country can come in by the thousands to stay and can gain permanent residence easily.

This begs the question. When will Malay special rights ever be revised? Based on Zafer's logic, my guess is never.

Non-Malays will have to continue subsidising houses for the rich Malays (if they can buy a house for RM200,000 or above, they must be doing alright). They will have to continue giving equity shares to rich and well-connected Malay businessmen.

And they will still be second-class citizens even though they paid for part of these Malay privileges. That is the irony of it all, isn't it? Non-Malays are expected to subsidise and pay but they will never have their place in the sun as a normal citizen of Malaysia.

Unless the unthinkable happens. And that is to expand the affirmative policies to cover all Malaysian citizens, regardless of race or creed. Until and unless we can see and treat one another as fellow citizens of Malaysia with equal standings and rights, Malaysia will always be polarised by racism, religion and greed.