I must say Cecil Rajendra's Kingdom of Purplaya is a great piece, so melancholic I almost cried. You just have to paste 'Malays' instead of 'natives' on the fifth rangkap of the poem, the picture is then complete. No poet in the whole wide world can mistake the poem as not referring to the situation in Malaysia and the purple people, unintended, but so cruelly degraded in the poem, were Malays ('It hurts, Mr Rajendra', April 1).

Rajendra's poem was not so mysterious; it was in fact like a history book.

I urge again for the need of respect to each other and the danger of generalisation, however noble the intention.

We want change, we want justice, but everybody with self-respect will die for their dignity. The Malays are no exception. Enough has been written and spoken about the malady and the malaise of Malaysia and Malays, so what's another poem, eh?

Do you have a heart, 'Rajendras' of Malaysia? Here is one for you:

Mencari Harga Diri

melayu atau me+layu?
dipijak terpijak
malah saling memijak
telah tamat dua pusingan
'Mencari Maruah Diri'
telah selesai habis dipersalah
kolonial raja pemerintah
tamat sudah DEB
DPN berlalu pergi
baru ingin mendongak
belum mampu berdiri
dipijak rakan sendiri

Dasar Wawasan Negara
dipersenda persis:
Rukunegara?
Perlembagaan Negara?
artikel 152 atau 153?

Melayu itu hanya mampu
merenung diri
airmata darah menitis
buta mencari jalan keluar
kemelut ini
amat payah memisah
'musuh dalam selimut'
'gunting dalam lipatan'
'api dalam sekam'