The current economic uncertainty around the world and certainly within the country has sparked many questions.

Is Malaysia, our beloved motherland, still the land of unparalleled opportunities, mirroring the American dream? Or has she become a land for the rent-seeking?

The above statement either invites shouts of approval or cries of discontentment. It depends on who you are. If you are a hardworking small time entrepreneur, it can be tough.

If you are one of those privileged individuals mentioned below, things can be worlds apart.

This is a story about an extremely accomplished civil servant. Recent events which have unfolded in the country has taught us that there is indeed much power entrusted into the hands of civil servants in mother Malaysia.

The military has come under quite intense scrutiny of late. Just one example was not too long ago when a RM1.7 billion helicopter purchase was later called off due to th extravagant price tag not to mention our other international peers are paying half-the-amount.

Let's just move on to a smaller scale and let's bring our attention back to our accomplished civil servant. By no means a small discovery by itself, to him and people like him, Malaysia, after all, can be the land of opportunities.

Ironically, it is still a page taken from the distinguished book that we know, the ministry of defence.

Imagine an officer who has served for all too many years within the service, having control over all projects being carried out in all those years, having the final say on every purchasing decision.

This, in the end will be fulfilled by his favorite contractor company, incidentally also controlled by this civil servant.

Here you go, a successful civil servant having the power to influence buying decisions, at the same time also a successful businessman behind the scenes with a thriving ICT business, milking millions of hard- earned tax payers' money.

Will there be reform in this country?

How can this be possible? Are there still opportunities in this land for the honest, hardworking and average Anak Malaysia ?