A few weeks ago, I received a call from a man whom I did not know. However, he did know me. Or so he claimed.

He had seen an article online somewhere about gambling machines being misused in golf clubs and assumed I wrote it.

I was quick to correct him that it wasn't me who wrote that article. He apologised but did say he followed my writings.

Then he went on to introduce himself. Apparently, he was an independent candidate during the last general election but lost.

He said that he enjoyed reading my columns and agreed with a lot of what I have to say. I felt honoured. Then he suggested that I enter politics! Ugh!

Then came the utimate statement that always annoys me to almost the point of wanting to commit murder.

"It's really refreshing to hear a Malay say the things that you say," he said.

"Who ever told you I was Malay?" I asked him.

"Well, from your name, of course."

My mother's name is Sophia. Does that make her Italian? My daughter's name is Athena. Does that make her Greek?

Why do people in Malaysia always break everything down to race and ethnicity?

Would it matter if I were Malay, Chinese, Indian, Masai, Pashtun, Turk, Uzbek or whatever for my thoughts to be 'refreshing'?

So I asked him why did he contest in the recent general election as an independent?

"Oh, I'm sick and tired of the same old politics that have been going on in Malaysia. I want to change things. And I'm sure you support this change as well. From your work, I'm sure you would also support a Prime Minister who isn't Malay."

And there he goes again with the race factor. So I began my barrage against his idea of wanting to change the old politics with his brand of 'new politics'.

He can claim all he wants about how he wants to change the system but it means nothing if his mentality is still about breaking things down to racial profiling.

It makes no difference if a person is Malay, Jakun, Murut or Penan, as long as that person is Malaysian, he can have the opportunity of becoming the country's Prime Minister.

I do not subscribe to the belief that race comes first when it comes to being Malaysian. I believe that all Malaysians are equal no matter what their race is.

If someone is chosen to be the Prime Minister, or any other state authoritative figure, he is representative of all Malaysians.

What crap is it when we pit a Malay against a Chinese and an Indian to ensure a particular race's interest are protected!

We pit one candidate against another to see how best he or she can protect the interest of every single one of us, as Malaysians.

"But that's what I believe in too!" said he.

No! If you can say that it's "refreshing to hear a Malay say what you say", then you can easily say that Chinese are selfish money hounds, Indians are smelly drunks and Malays are lazy bums.

Enough with the race thing. Can we actually see things without having to filter everything through racist eyes?

Do notice that I haven't named this individual who called me up. It's not because I want to protect his identity.

The actual reason is that I've forgotten his name. But trust me, it sounded really Malaysian.