Datuk Seri Abdullah has to find a replacement for the post, which is regarded as an important portfolio. Deputy Minister Datuk Zulhassan Rafique, the MP for Setiawangsa, is currently holding the fort.

When Isa took charge of the ministry, it was not always smooth sailing, with City Hall officials insisting that politicians should stay away from the running of the city. Feathers in Umno were ruffled and relations have been bad since.

Abdullah surely wants the new appointee to sort out their differences to avoid complications that would not benefit the city folks.

The spotlight is also on two other ministries – Higher Education and Information – held by Datuk Paduka Kadir Sheikh Fadzir and Datuk Dr Shafie Mohd Salleh respectively.

The two ministers had to sit among the rest of the Umno delegates instead of on the stage during the recent general assembly as they are not on the supreme council.

Their failure to win a council seat in last year's assembly had caused much speculation as to how long they would remain in the Cabinet.

But holding top Umno positions does not guarantee one a Cabinet position. There has been a precedent as Datuk Zahid Hamidi did not get any government post under the Mahathir Administration despite being elected the Umno Youth chairman.

The popular Perak politician, who has been elected into the supreme council, is now a Deputy Tourism Minister.

But the sentiments of the grassroots cannot be ignored and those elected into high positions would surely clamour for these two Cabinet positions, which Abdullah may have to take heed.

Following the AP issue, a big question mark has appeared over Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz, the longest-serving International Trade and Industries Minister.

She has been efficient in her ministerial duties. But the question now is whether the unhappiness of the Umno delegates over the allocation of APs would have an impact on her political future.

Then, there is the position of Datuk Mahadzir Mohd Khir, the Deputy Education Minister. The academician-turned-politician has not been well and it would not be a surprise if he is eventually replaced on health grounds.

The changes, according to speculation, are likely to happen in September as the MCA and Gerakan would have finished their party elections by then. The MCA is holding its polls on Aug 20 while Gerakan will be holding them on Aug 27.

Deputy International Trade and Industries Minister Datuk Kerk Choo Ting, who is Gerakan deputy president, will be challenged by vice-president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon.

The popular perception is that Kerk would have an uphill task holding on to his position.  His party boss Datuk Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik has openly said his relationship with Kerk is strained. Should Kerk lose his party post, the likelihood is that he, too, would lose his deputy minister's post.

The MCA election is also being closely watched as president Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting and his deputy Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy are being challenged by vice-president Datuk Chua Jui Meng and secretary-general Tan Sri Dr Ting Chew Peh respectively.

There are also nine contenders for the four vice-president posts. The incumbents are Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek, Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr Fong Chan Onn, Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Fu Ah Kiow and Jui Meng.

The hopefuls are Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Ong Tee Keat, Deputy Federal Territories Minister Datuk Tan Chai Ho, Deputy Information Minister Datuk Donald Lim, Alor Star MP Datuk Chor Chee Heung, Serdang MP Datuk Yap Pian Hon and Sabah politician Chau Tet Onn.

The defeat of any of these MCA heavyweights could cost them their job as there are other Members of Parliament who would also be contesting other party posts.

For example, Datuk Liow Tiong Lai, who is contesting the Youth post, is likely to be groomed for higher office and the reward of a government position would come as no surprise.

As in any changes, the Prime Minister alone makes the decision but as the head of the Barisan Nasional, he would certainly take into account the recommendations of the party bosses.

Some have predicted that the changes would take place early next year, pointing out that Abdullah needs to focus his attention on tabling the Ninth Malaysia Plan in November first.

The changes in the Cabinet will surely come. The only question is when.

Even the woman in the spotlight, Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz, had a hard time responding to the issue during her summing-up speech yesterday. At certain points, the delegates even heckled and jeered at her.

Now that the Umno general assembly is over, the leadership has to put into place a system that ensures that only genuine car importers are given APs.

The practice of selling APs to others has to stop as it is sheer abuse. And it will be sad if no action is taken after all the hue and cry. Malaysians should not be allowed to have the impression that everything is back to normal after the assembly.

The criteria of distributing the APs obviously need to be reviewed as a cursory look at the list of names has revealed plenty of flaws, not to mention things that have been detrimental to national interest. For example,  who monitors the recipients of APs once these are issued?

The list of 67,158 APs for 2005, comprising 17,526 open APs and 49,632 franchise APs, was monopolised by a handful of businessmen, now dubbed the Kings of APs. Worse, the figures did not even include the allocations of previous years and it looks like it will remain that way.

Prior to the directive by Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Malaysians were given the excuse that we will not be able to see the list of names because it has never been the practice of the Cabinet to do so. The AP list was treated like a document with an Official Secrets Act stamp on it.

But last week, the Prime Minister ordered the names to be released. In line with his call for transparency, good governance and credibility, Abdullah should now order that the mess be cleaned up.

There will be powerful political and business forces that would obstruct his drive to make Malaysia clean but he has the support of Malaysians who believe in what he is doing.

What was lacking at the Umno general assembly was input from delegates on how the national car policy, which is expected to come out soon, should take shape.

The delegates were understandably engrossed with the names of recipients but it would have been better if they had done their homework and debated intelligently whether Malaysia will remain a mere assembler of  automobiles instead of manufacturing them.

National cars mean more than just affixing a Proton or Naza emblem on our cars – it involves pioneering research and development which is cost-intensive.

The AP issue is merely part of the car policy. Abdullah also has to look at the question of what constitutes a national car and which company is entitled to the various tax rebates and incentives, which have become a source of discontent between Proton, Perodua, Naza and Inokom.

Enough time has been lost. Proton is already 20 years but we still do not have a national car policy. From reports of declining Proton sales to Korean-made cars passed off as national cars, Malaysians have watched with serious concern the state of our local car industry.

Malaysians do not want the national car to fail as billions have been spent and the government is justified, in the wake of the AP uproar, to examine whether the APs meant to help bumiputra entrepreneurs have ended up hurting Proton and benefiting only a few Malay businessmen.

Proton, on the other hand, needs to find out why it has not been able to take on the aggressive sales tactics of Toyota and Hyundai, among others, which have reduced Proton's domestic market share sharply.

But more important, we need to pool our resources in the automobile industry to consolidate ourselves to face foreign competition with car tariffs coming to an end by 2008 under the Asean Free Trade Agreement instead of bickering among ourselves.

The important thing to remember is that nothing will work, even if there is a comprehensive blueprint or a set of criteria, if there are people in authority who abuse the system and, worse, are allowed to get away with it.

As in all party elections, if there are candidates who offer bribes, there will also be those who accept bribes – in this case, it will be the delegates who had voted in party elections.

For Pak Lah, his concern would not just be Umno leaders who go around with bags of money when campaigning but delegates who speak with a straight face of their disdain for money politics, but quietly pocket the money.

Delegates from the various states are expected to speak up on the issue but are unlikely to point fingers at anyone. Neither are they expected to speak specifically on the six-year suspension of vice-president Tan Sri Mohd Isa Abdul Samad.

The sentiment is that Pak Lah has cracked the whip hard and loud. The prevailing mood is that the leadership is serious about dealing with money politics and that it is best that no one takes it lightly.

There are also pockets of unhappiness among some delegates, questioning why should only one or two Umno leaders be singled out and punished when there were many other errant ones.

There could also be criticism of the disciplinary board and the code of ethics with some state representatives, possibly, proposing clearer guidelines and even changes to the rules.

The meritocracy issue relating to the entrance of bumiputra students into tertiary institutions is almost certain to be a major issue with Johor Umno expected to propose changes to the principle.

The sentiment of the administration, however, is that the meritocracy principle must stay to nurture competition. But it is prepared to review certain parts of it to protect the interest of the community.

There has been uneasiness among some Umno leaders, with one describing meritocracy as a form of discrimination. But it is understood that the administration sees the merits of keeping that principle.

One subject close to the hearts of many grassroots Umno members must be the cut in government jobs for contractors, particularly those handling minor works projects of less than RM200,000 per contract.

These contractors have been criticised for being too dependent on the government and told to re-evaluate themselves. But  their political clout should not be underestimated. Their grievances have been heard and many expect the leadership to offer them some explanations, if not some hope, at the party assembly.

The country's economy, especially concerns of inflationary trends, is certain to be a major issue at the assembly. Rising oil prices and the rising cost of living are expected to be brought up by the delegates.

Uppermost in the minds of many Umno delegates and observers would be how International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz would handle issues like the national car policy and approved permits.

Regarded as hot topics, most analysts expect these issues to be highlighted, even as early as Wednesday, when the youth wing holds its meeting at the Putra World Trade Centre.

It would not be a surprise if the issue of APs continues at the general assembly proper but the robust politicians are expected to take on these issues, even criticisms, head on.

Malaysians can be sure that this week's Umno assembly will be as lively and open as expected. Although this is not an election year for Umno, it will still be an exciting event.

Like many major cities, London has always been vulnerable and an attack was merely a question of when and not so much if.

Sydney, for example, will always be on the radar screen of the terrorists because of Australia's strong support of the US attack in Iraq.

Hours after the blasts in central London, an unknown group calling itself the al-Qaeda of Europe claimed responsibility through a website. Although the details of how the bombings were carried out are still sketchy, it appears to be well-coordinated.

While terrorists can strike any time, anywhere and at anyone, one pattern that has emerged over the years is their preference to strike during summer.

Summer has just started in Europe with the tail end in September, when the weather gets cooler again. Analysts believe that with light clothing, terrorists are able to move and operate easier.

Bulky clothes are often avoided by terrorists as they believe that it would hamper their movement while unpredictable weather, particularly during winter, could hinder their bombing operations.

The sunny weather of summer is regarded as the best time for any covert operations, especially during lunch time when the crowd becomes big, to ensure maximum destruction.

During this holiday season, people often let their guard down and tend to congregate in large numbers, whether at the park or shopping mall. Public transport is also at its peak.

At the Atlanta Olympic Games on July 27, 1996, the explosion of a pipe bomb in a paper bag killed one person and injured over 100 people.

September has also been a popular month for previous terrorist attacks. At least seven high-profile attacks were carried out in recent years in September.

On Sept 5, 1972, 11 Israeli Olympic team members were killed in the Munich Games;

On Sept 4, 2000, a car bomb exploded outside an apartment in Dagestan, Russia, which killed 64 people;

On Sept 8, 2000, another bomb exploded in a nine-storey apartment in Moscow, killing 94 people with 150 injured;

On Sept 13, 2000, a bomb went off in an apartment near the Kremlin, killing 118 with 200 injured;

On Sept 11, 2001, the attack on the World Trade Centre in New York;

On Sept 4, 2004, more than 300 people, mostly children, were killed following a siege by militants who took over a school in Beslan, Russia.

Even in South East Asia, the Jemaah Islamiah terrorists picked Sept 9, 2004, to launch an attack in Jakarta which killed nine people and injured over 100.

September will remain a black month for terrorists in many ways. For older Palestinians, they remember the formation of the Black September terrorist group, so named because it was formed in that month after radicals felt betrayed by Jordan where they had sought refuge from the Israelis.

For ordinary people living in major Western cities, they will have to live with the terror fear every day. They have little choice but to use the same subway and buses, which are soft targets, to commute. The threat of these terrorists striking again will always be there.

When these terrorists attack, they do not care whether their victims are Muslims or Christians, so long as they can inflict the greatest damage.

As politicians in the West renew their commitment to fight terrorism, they cannot ignore the fact that until they seriously re-think their policies in West Asia, including solving the problems in Palestine, no amount of security measures can help them ward off such attacks.

The word is that secretary-general Tan Sri Dr Ting Chew Peh, 62, will take on Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy for number two.

Should Dr Ting decide to fight it out, he and Chua will have to convince the 2,000-plus delegates that they can do a better job than Ong and Chan. They will also have to explain why they should move upwards.

Chua has every democratic right to contest. And as a candidate, he should be given every chance to present his case to the delegates.

Elections are a vital part of democracy and, if fairly and properly conducted, there is no reason why it should split the party, as claimed by some politicians every time there is a contest.

If a leader clings on too long to his position, it surely does the party no good, and one way of bringing change is through the elections. Grooming successors helps the rejuvenation process and ensures a smooth leadership transition.

It is also healthy for members to offer themselves as candidates in a party election as it shows that there are many talents who are prepared to offer their services to the party.

It is also evident that democracy is alive in the MCA.

As in any election, much emotion will be generated as polling approaches but MCA leaders, who claim to contest the polls for the sake of the party and Chinese community, should refrain from mud-slinging.

Open criticisms will not benefit the party, the second largest component party in the Barisan Nasional, and neither will it go down well with the Chinese community.

The present leadership has been effective, strong and united.

There have been many changes since the two young leaders took charge – the most significant being limiting the president's tenure to a maximum of three terms.

Divisions also now find there is no disparity in the number of delegates they can send to the assembly, thus allowing the smaller divisions to be given much clout.

In short, the turbulence of the previous Team A-Team B fight which tore the party apart is now over. This is evident by the fact that Ong, 49, and Chan, 50, are now facing the elections as a team.

There will be pockets of discontentment following the peace plan, which saw Ong and Chan taking over and their predecessors Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik and Tan Sri Lim Ah Lek stepping down, but that is to be expected in a party of one million members.

Politicians, regardless of their level, expect positions and rewards – particularly after a bruising fight – and those who are left out in a compromise would surely be unhappy.

However, the  general membership, understanding the sentiment of the community, wants the leadership to focus their attention on protecting the community's interest and carrying out projects that benefit the people.

There are concerns that the Chinese community would lose its influence as the size of the community continues to shrink. Whether we like it or not, size does matter in the demography of a multi-racial country.

This election is not just about personal glory, winning positions or proving the candidate's popularity; the Chinese community want to know what the leaders can do for them.

The future plans are as important, if not more crucial, than past records.

The party and the community must remember that those who work will sometimes make mistakes but those who do nothing will only point out the mistakes of others.

The word is that secretary-general Tan Sri Dr Ting Chew Peh, 62, will take on Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy for number two.

Should Dr Ting decide to fight it out, he and Chua will have to convince the 2,000-plus delegates that they can do a better job than Ong and Chan. They will also have to explain why they should move upwards.

Chua has every democratic right to contest. And as a candidate, he should be given every chance to present his case to the delegates.

Elections are a vital part of democracy and, if fairly and properly conducted, there is no reason why it should split the party, as claimed by some politicians every time there is a contest.

If a leader clings on too long to his position, it surely does the party no good, and one way of bringing change is through the elections. Grooming successors helps the rejuvenation process and ensures a smooth leadership transition.

It is also healthy for members to offer themselves as candidates in a party election as it shows that there are many talents who are prepared to offer their services to the party.

It is also evident that democracy is alive in the MCA.

As in any election, much emotion will be generated as polling approaches but MCA leaders, who claim to contest the polls for the sake of the party and Chinese community, should refrain from mud-slinging.

Open criticisms will not benefit the party, the second largest component party in the Barisan Nasional, and neither will it go down well with the Chinese community.

The present leadership has been effective, strong and united.

There have been many changes since the two young leaders took charge – the most significant being limiting the president's tenure to a maximum of three terms.

Divisions also now find there is no disparity in the number of delegates they can send to the assembly, thus allowing the smaller divisions to be given much clout.

In short, the turbulence of the previous Team A-Team B fight which tore the party apart is now over. This is evident by the fact that Ong, 49, and Chan, 50, are now facing the elections as a team.

There will be pockets of discontentment following the peace plan, which saw Ong and Chan taking over and their predecessors Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik and Tan Sri Lim Ah Lek stepping down, but that is to be expected in a party of one million members.

Politicians, regardless of their level, expect positions and rewards – particularly after a bruising fight – and those who are left out in a compromise would surely be unhappy.

However, the  general membership, understanding the sentiment of the community, wants the leadership to focus their attention on protecting the community's interest and carrying out projects that benefit the people.

There are concerns that the Chinese community would lose its influence as the size of the community continues to shrink. Whether we like it or not, size does matter in the demography of a multi-racial country.

This election is not just about personal glory, winning positions or proving the candidate's popularity; the Chinese community want to know what the leaders can do for them.

The future plans are as important, if not more crucial, than past records.

The party and the community must remember that those who work will sometimes make mistakes but those who do nothing will only point out the mistakes of others.

He said the ministry wanted to re-evaluate the medical degrees from the university, adding that the university was not as impressive as those in Malaysia and Western countries.

Pointing to the large number of Malaysian students there, Musa said there was a need to review the status in the interest of the students and the country, saying "we are forced to review it for our own good".

Chatting to the Malaysian students, I remembered telling my colleagues that these young people would be very unhappy when they read our news reports via the Internet the following day. None of us had the heart to tell them of the press conference by Musa earlier.

Last week, the Crimea State Medical University issue was hotly debated in Parliament, with dramatic exchange of words resulting in a verbal clash between the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Syed Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz and DAP MPs.

But it was Datuk S. Sothinathan, the Deputy Natural Resources and Environment Minister, who found himself being suspended from his government post for three months after he broke ranks with the front bench.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said Sothinathan's action was not befitting his role as a member of the Barisan front bench and that he should not have taken the stand of criticising his own government.

Outside Parliament, the debate has continued among members of the public. Some arguments have taken a racial tone, which is unfortunate, as the matter should be examined from the country's national interest.

The dilemma of our students at the university, irrespective of their ethnicity, should be regarded as a Malaysian problem.

There are Malay, Chinese and Indian students in Crimea. In fact, in 2003, Selangor state government officials even visited the university and signed a memorandum of understanding to place Yayasan Selangor students there.

Questions have been raised over the manner in which the Malaysian Medical Council (MMC) handled the issue as it had previously recognised the degrees from the said university.

Then, there is also the concern over why the Education Ministry had given "no objection" letters to Malaysian students, who are said to be Arts students, to pursue their studies there.

These are valid questions and it is best that they are handled in a rational manner. Our Malaysian students there must be anxiously waiting for the Government to address their worries now. All the angry outbursts and name-calling, which are unbecoming of our politicians, will not help them.

In all fairness, the alert from the Government came long ago. The MMC has the right to ensure that Malaysians abroad study at the best universities.

Among the reasons stated for the MMC's change of heart in recognising the university included the dubious qualifications of students admitted for the institute's medical studies, the difficulty of its medical graduates in using technical terms in English, and the strain on the quality of teaching due to the sudden increase in intake.

The MMC has stated that it would withdraw the recognition of the programme to any student registered and admitted after Dec 31 this year.

Some parents have appealed to the body to extend the deadline to another year, pointing out that when the General Medical Council of the United Kingdom withdrew its recognition of medical degrees from Universiti Malaya in the 1980s, it gave the university a five-year period to rectify what it saw as its weaknesses.

The fault of the MMC is the sudden change of heart after having given recognition  earlier and the manner it is now tackling this headache.

Unlike other degrees, doctors deal with human lives and none of us want to be treated by doctors with dubious medical degrees.

But all is not lost. Graduates of the Crimea State Medical University, it should be pointed out, can still sit for a qualifying examination when they come back to Malaysia. If they pass, they can still practise at home.

There are other options. For example, Kiev University is prepared to provide courses to Malaysians using English as a medium of instruction. Musa, who had visited the university, was impressed with the facilities there.

Here is an interesting historical anecdote: Crimea, now an autonomous region in Ukraine, has a long history of conflict. The Crimean War, which lasted two years from 1854-56, was fought between Russia and the alliance of Britain, France, the Ottoman Empire and Sardinia. It was the focus of Tolstoy's voluminous War and Peace.

Let's hope this medical university controversy ends quickly and does not generate unnecessary tomes of words, written or otherwise.

As the prime minister, Abdullah should be allowed to devote his attention and energy to the larger issues affecting the country. He should not have to worry about a simple transfer request of a university lecturer or a scholarship application.

But that was what happened over the past fortnight. Abdullah, together with Education Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein  and Higher Education Minister Datuk Dr Shafie Mohd Salleh, had to step in to put things right.

On June 13, Dr Shafie approved two years' unpaid leave for Assoc Prof Dr Terence Gomez to take up a post with the United Nations in Geneva.

This followed reports that Dr Gomez had been "forced" to resign from Universiti Malaya because his application for a two-year secondment to take up the UN post had been rejected.

The UM corporate communications office head Che Ramlan A. Rahman had said that the management could not release Dr Gomez, who is known for his academic work on business, politics and corruption, because he was needed at the university.

The case attracted the attention of not just ordinary Malaysians but academicians overseas. It was the kind of publicity that UM, which is celebrating its centenary anniversary, does not need.

The case was badly handled as it was allowed to drag on, leading to numerous letters being posted on the Internet while opposition politicians seized on the issue to point out what it regarded as another case of government inefficiency.

The fact is that it has nothing to do with policies, but just a simple case of poor decision-making.

Meanwhile, Hishammuddin too had to step in to make sure that the Public Services Department offered scholarships to the five SPM top scorers who initially failed in their bid.

Believing in fairness, the Umno Youth chief told reporters that he would not forget their names and vowed to resolve their problems.

The good news finally came from MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting who announced that Ng Ee Liang, Desmond Chee and Khaw Chok Tong would study medicine in Australia, Chew Ying Dee would take up pharmacy in Britain, while Teoh Wan Ying was offered to do actuarial science in the United States.

They were not the only ones. Utusan Malaysia reported that Abdul Azim Abdul Rahim, who scored 12A1s, also had his application for a PSD scholarship rejected. He was one of the 25 top performers who received certificates from Hishammuddin last March.

Again, Cabinet members had to intervene to make sure justice prevailed but the question is why Malaysians have to go through this annual charade.

We have drawn up a system where every young Malaysian needs to work hard to prove himself and when he has proven himself, we come up with vague explanations on how he missed by a quarter or half a point.

We can tell these bright sparks that they do not have the X-factor that could have earned them their scholarships or some of us can say that they could always look elsewhere for financial help.

But does Malaysia want to lose these intelligent youngsters to other countries who would readily offer them the scholarships?

The  PSD should be taking every step to keep the best and brightest in Malaysia and not discourage them, let alone reject them.

To their credit, the PSD has been accommodating to many appeals by those rejected the first time.

The action of our leaders has proven that the people can still depend on our moderate leaders to step in when such situations arise, but there is a need to ensure that officials do not carry out actions that harm the ruling party.

On the other hand, students seeking to further their education through such financial support must understand that there are limited resources.

They must learn to be more adaptable to possibilities of rejection and learn to check out alternatives. Parents too can do their part.

Remember, when one door closes, a window of opportunity can open elsewhere.

As Michelle Yeoh once put it, "one can practically smell a fellow Malaysian anywhere when one is overseas".

The last time fellow Malaysians and I sang aloud and with much passion the Negaraku and to raise the Jalur Gemilang was when we sailed on the Sea of Galilee. We were on a Christian pilgrimage in Jerusalem and amidst the spirituality, it warmed our hearts tremendously when we were able to display our national identity in such a manner.

In the run-up to our National Day, it is good that a debate has started over the playing of the national anthem at public events.

We should have no reservations about making it a practice for the national anthem to be played at all major sports and political events, irrespective of whether they are organised by the Government  or private  sector.

There is no reason why the practice should be restricted to school assemblies, the television and radio stations, and the weekly gathering of civil servants at the various ministries.

The national flag should also be flown by motorists, not just during the National Day celebrations, but at all times.

For a start, our leaders should take the lead by encouraging such a practice.

They should display these little flags on their cars, not just their official Perdana black cars but also their private cars.

But having said that, I hope our leaders and civil servants do not get too carried away in their efforts to promote the anthem and the flag.

Standing at attention and singing the national anthem do not make anyone a patriotic person. For example, a corrupt politician, who has been putting his fingers into the public coffers, surely cannot be considered a patriotic person.

Likewise, a Malaysian who is prepared to sacrifice national interest for foreigners, either for monetary or political interests, cannot claim to be loyal to our beloved country even if he has the Jalur Gemilang flying in his garden.

To put it simply, we should not measure the patriotism of Malaysians by the flying of flags or how they respond to the Negaraku. It would be a shame if that is how we gauge the level of loyalty.

We cannot force patriotism down the people's throat. I dare say that almost all Malay- sians are loyal to the country.

As much as the opposition politicians are sometimes labelled as anti-national and disloyal, the fact is that loyalty to the country does not mean loyalty to the ruling party. It's two different things.

The current issue is the playing of the national anthem in cinemas.

Although there was some confusion initially, it is good that Information Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Kadir Sheikh Fadzir has clarified that the singing of the national anthem before movie screenings would not be appropriate.

"Negaraku should only be sung at appropriate times and only when the occasion calls for it," he told reporters.

Many young Malaysians may not be aware of it but during the 1960s, the national anthem was played in cinemas.

And during those turbulent times, when the country was fighting communists and communalists, not everyone stood up when it was played. Some sat in defiance, ignoring the stares of other cinema-goers.

But in current day situations, I cannot imagine myself standing up, with my hands by my side, as the Negaraku is played before the movie comes on.

And as soon as it is over, it's back to business, watching Kungfu Hustle or the latest SenarioXX , with my hands in the popcorn packet this time.

But playing the national anthem at stadiums, particularly at sports event, is entirely different. We want to build up the passion, so to speak, before a game with another country.

Games involving fellow Malaysian teams should also include this ritual. Even in the United States and many European countries, the national anthem is played before a game starts.

On a trip to Thailand recently, I was surprised to find shoppers and traders standing in respect when the Thai national anthem was played at the closing time of Chatuchak market.

To put it in context, the current debate has helped many of us reflect on what it means to be a citizen of this blessed nation. I believe we should all be thankful and proud that we are Malaysians.

As we prepare to celebrate our 48th Merdeka Day on Aug 31, I believe all Malaysians already know how to stand up when the national anthem is played. We not only stand up for Negaraku, but we all truly stand up for our country.

Foreign newsmen attending the 58th World Newspaper Congress and 12th World Editors Forum in Seoul last week may not even have noticed what nationality kim chi they were being served but to the South Korean reporters and traders at the local markets, it was a hot issue indeed.

The South Koreans themselves, of course, are no strangers to making imitations of branded products like Louis Vuitton and Chanel. But even in this world of fakes, the traders at Itaewon, where one can buy such products, say that China-made imitations are also making their way there.

The world, including Malaysia, must wake up to the reality that China has become the world's largest producer of almost everything.

Many factories in Malaysia, including several in Penang, have relocated to China to take advantage of its cheaper labour.

Chinese workers are not merely the low-skilled ones but also well-trained personnel in science and engineering. It produces 250,000 engineering graduates each year. For comparison, India produces 150,000 a year.

One big news item last week was China's decision to scrap its concessions on textiles to avert a trade war with the United States and Europe.

The US and Europe, alarmed over the Chinese inroads, have taken steps to restrict imports of Chinese clothing and textiles. It's simply a protectionist action on the part of the West but China has correctly played down the issue, preferring not to fight a war it cannot win.

It is interesting to note that the focus on economic growth – with GDP expanding at more than 8% a year – remains the main agenda for the government and people of China. Instead of constantly patting themselves on the back and seeking attention, Chinese entrepreneurs have cleverly projected themselves as weak Third World players, even as they surge to become dominant global players at the same time.

All this is taking place in an increasingly competitive world where countries which cannot change will lag behind.

It is said that nations which build fortresses will remain stagnant while those prepared to move, change and adapt will become strong.

The question is whether Malaysia is ready for all these high-speed economic changes taking place around the world.

Our leaders, no doubt, are fully aware of the consequences of lagging behind.

The government intends to get rid of the subsidy mentality and dependence on crutches but there is obviously resistance. Such stubborn mindsets have to be tackled. But time waits for no one. The economic challenge to Malaysians no longer comes from a Malay, a Chinese or an Indian but from China, India and the rest of the world.

In an increasingly connected world, the entry of China and India would have a tremendous impact on Malaysia.

There is no way we can take them on but we can learn to gain from them and treat these two giants as partners rather than competitors.

Our Malaysian politicians need to lead the people, regardless of their race, to face these global changes. We have spent too much time on issues which benefit no one. Instead of playing to the gallery by bringing up issues of the past that smack of communalism, we need to move on.

In this context, the government must be commended for taking steps to make Mandarin and Tamil part of the curriculum in national schools.

There has been talk that the government is prepared to even hire teachers from China and India if there is a shortage.

We must not be afraid of learning Mandarin and Tamil because these two languages are international languages. It is to the advantage of our young ones, regardless of their race, to know these two and even more languages if we wish to do business with these two economic giants.

Malaysian businessmen, besides Singaporeans, enjoy an advantage in China and India because of the ethnic and linguistic links.

For that matter, Arabic too should be an elective subject in schools and universities as West Asia, especially Dubai, is also moving at a furious pace.

The emphasis on English needs to be further encouraged, not stifled, if we wish to move on.

Our leaders should not be cowed by those who, in the name of nationalism, selfishly limit the advancement of English in our education system.

Last week, a friend gave me a large copper-tooled scene of The Last Supper. It was made at a factory in Guangdong, China.

The statues of many Hindu deities on sale in Singapore, according to The Straits Times, are also from China.

Nothing seems sacred any more and Malaysia had better wake up to that fact.