Why is the government so afraid of its own shadow? Why should they feel so threatened as to deny MCA its request for more Chinese schools to be built?

Like everything else, this issue will eventually sort itself out. The basic law of supply and demand will ensure that at some point they will equate. If there is an oversupply of Chinese schools, they will close down on their own accord.

If there is a shortage of these schools, then there will be a clamour to have more. The government should have no role in determining whether they should allow or not the building of more Chinese schools.

The government should instead focus on the reason why Chinese parents are sending their children to vernacular schools. And frankly, its not difficult to see why these parents are shying away from national schools.

National schools have lost their purpose and identity. They no longer reflects the aspirations and goals of what a national school should be. Instead, they have been sadly been transformed into religious schools with special emphasis on Islam having a central role.

The education department has not been able to exert its authority to prevent this and the situation has been allowed to drift to a point of no return. Chinese parents are frustrated at the government's indifference to this and to vent their frustration, they send their children to vernacular schools.

Racial integration cannot be attained by force, neither can it be achieved by imposing one's religious beliefs on another. Racial integration can only be achieved by giving due respect to each other's beliefs and convictions.

The role of the government is not merely to authorise or deny the Chinese community from building more of their schools. It must examine its failure to persuade Chinese parents to send their children to national schools and its failure to foster an integrated and unified Malaysian society.