I must agree with most of the points raised by Ex-Malaysian in his/her letter to malaysiakini entitled ' Racial quota is not affirmative action '.

Ex-Malaysian has rightly pointed out that the definition and practice of affirmative action in the US is radically different from the so-called 'affirmative action' in Malaysia.

Yes, affirmative action means equal opportunity in terms of employment, education, promotion, business, contracts, etc. In practice, organisations must try to practice a policy that is blind to gender, race or ethnicity and which provides opportunities free of discrimination in hiring, career, advancement, business, or admission to universities.

While the US prohibits the use of racial quotas, the Barisan Nasional government deliberately enforces racial quota in everything. The Malaysian practice is exactly what US affirmative action is not, in spirit and in practice.

Ex-Malaysian has also rightly pointed out that affirmative action does not mean that less-qualified candidate has priority over the better-qualified one.

When there is more than one candidate with similar qualifications, then the race of a person may be considered as a plus point. The reason is that diversity in either workplace or university is recognised as essential to state interest. But race alone cannot be the only reason under consideration.

I have to agree with Ex-Malaysian that the Malaysian practice of racial exclusion and discrimination using race-based quotas is not affirmative action.

In the recent BBC interview , Dr Mahathir was not honest in answering the question on Chinese/ non-Malays being treated as second-class citizens. Come on! A Malay driver is not a second-class citizen simply because he is earning a small salary. And his Chinese boss is not a first-class citizen simply because he makes tons of money. Mahathir has used a false analogy and twisted his tongue to save his skin.

When a Malay datuk can buy a house in Taman Tun Dr Ismail with a discount of 7.5 percent or more, but his driver Ah Kow must pay the full amount, will anyone have the cheek to tell me this is not a case of second-class treatment?

When Keong who scored 9As in his SPM examination cannot secure a place in matriculation class, but Ahmad with less than half of the As can easily get in, is that not another case of second-class treatment?

What about the fact that only one Indian student was permitted to study at the medical faculty of Universiti Malaya? Does this mean Indians boys and girls are just not up to the mark?

The list can go on and on - it is sheer racism. It's ugly and immoral, to use Ex-Malaysian's words.

Dr Mahathir, please do not tell me that not one non-Malay in the history of Malaysia is qualified to be chief of the police or armed forces, or the chancellor or vice-chancellor of a university!

Looks like the word meritocracy is not in the dictionary of Dr M and other Barisan Nasional leaders.