It pained me so to read your poem The Kingdom of Purplaya, Mr Rajendra. Your timing could not have been more perfect. Not only do you know where to stick in the needle, but you also knew when.

At a time when we are confronting our past demons and reaching out to the other communities to build a new society founded on justice, at a time when we are being mercilessly persecuted, hunted and discriminated for standing up to an unjust regime while the others largely stand and watch, and at a time when you see us most divided, you picked the right time to insult us, mock us and distort our history with heartless insensitivity.

You mocked our constitution as 'farcical'. I would have thought that it is clear to everyone that our founding fathers constructed our constitution at the threshold of our nationhood to accommodate the needs and aspirations of all communities.

Didn't they all agree that the special provisions are to correct a historical injustice that the Malays suffered in exchange for their magnanimity in accommodating the others to be co-citizens of this nation?

We certainly did not wish this to be an instrument for apartheid. Yes, this provision has been abused for the benefit of a privileged few among us, but we, too, suffer like all the rest.

Must we reiterate that the present ruling elite are clinging to power by means which are inimical to the spirit of the constitution?

Must we point out to you that today the majority of the victims of these violations are the Malays themselves and the beneficiaries of this injustice include opportunistic leaders from the other communities?

You will probably seek refugee in your art and say that we misunderstood you. It is disingenuous for you to say that Purplaya is only the product of your creative imagination, nothing to do with the living or the dead. Go on humiliate us, abuse us, mock us. We are only children of peasants from the kampung, unschooled in you high culture and unworthy of your friendship.

I have long been an admirer of your poetry but I can now see clearly what is in your heart.