THE newspapers have, for several consecutive days, printed stories of students in Malaysia engaging in political protests.

As a teacher, I would like to share with the passionate young people a few words from my heart.

I love your beautiful country and hope to share with you facts that you may be overlooking when you leave your books at school and join the protests.

I am not arguing for anyone as I really do not know politics well, but I would like to bring your attention to things you may have ignored.

Malaysia is, by all means, a democratic country where people enjoy a lot of freedom.

I was a tourist a few months ago in Kuala Lumpur. I was able to walk alone on the streets at midnight and at dawn. No one bothered me. I met only friendly people with smiling faces saying "hello."

This is not happening in Taiwan or any other developed country in the world.

I talked with many people and heard their views on the trial (of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) and on politics. Everyone said what they felt like saying. There was freedom of speech.

Just stop for a while and ask yourselves: "What more are we demanding? Are we really that unsatisfied?"

You are lucky at not having a deadly enemy waiting to take you by force. You are lucky to have all the natural resources, to be free of typhoons and earthquakes.

You are lucky to have a colourful country with all the rich assets from different cultures.

Malaysia is a great country and you will surely be one of the greatest countries in the world in the next century.

It is also unfair to put all the blame on your Prime Minister for the setback resulting from the economic turbulence.

People in Taiwan are 30% poorer after the attack of the financial storm, yet we are not blaming anyone.

Would you rather that Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad quit and leave things behind?

Did he not keep Malaysians from suffering the fate of neighbouring Indonesia?

He has managed to solve many problems that stood as obstacles in Malaysia's course to progress.

He has been praised by the world as the greatest architect of Malaysia. It was for a good reason. His lifetime efforts deserve your respect.

It is time to pause and count your blessings, my friends. You have a wonderful leader who is envied by people from countries all over the world, yet you are not aware of it.

As students, you should make the most of your time and energy to fill yourselves with all knowledge that will fully equip you when you face greater challenges and competitions in the next century.

By joining political activities, not only are you neglecting your own future, wasting your valuable time for learning, you are also trampling on the efforts of your fathers and grandfathers. It is not worth it.

Malaysia is recovering. Please support your country.