And tough questions are tough because of the emotional elements.

Winning in chess becomes tough when we compete. When we compete there is the element of fear. As a chess player would you agree with me?

Finding the way forward for Malaysian chess becomes tough when we compete. When we compete with our neighbors we will need to have a good look at why they are so far ahead of us. And then you have to face your fears for all the lost time. As a chess official would you agree with me?

Would you not need to develop your fortitude, not get dejected and give up? Would you not need to have the courage to stand up to all the false accusations that is Malaysian chess?

So let me ask you a question here. If that is the reality then is it not the solution to develop your courage, to sit down and really think of a good plan to move forward?

Or is the answer to develop the back doors so you do not need to compete. Or is the solution to knock out or to subvert all the good officials so you do not have to face that question?

Let me try to illustrate my point on how fear can make you stupid with my favorite example.

Peter does not want to allow Mark to play at KL Open. He says that the player to watch out for is back door Li Tian. In fact he doesn't want many players from Malaysia to play because then we can benchmark Li Tian's and Jimmy's true standard.

If he is confident of himself then he would want Mark and all the strong players in Malaysia to play so that he can show what a great analyst he is. Does that make sense?

Instead he hides. Instead he uses the entire State Association to ban players without grounds. That is how much fear he has. He cannot face any tough questions. Yet he wants to infect all of KL with his fears; yet he wants to attack other players when he cannot even play chess anymore.

I have offered many times in the past to pay for his entrance to tournaments if he cannot afford it and if he writes in to me. If he is so sure of himself then he would have offered Mark the same. Why? Because that is the best way to prove that he is right and put mud on my face? And in full public view too. Think of the publicity. After that all the top players in Malaysia will rush to his university because he is the man.

And he thinks of himself as a businessman, as a smart man. And yet he cannot see this. Does this prove my point? Fear.

So Peter, a word of advice. If you have lost your confidence and cannot compete and cannot teach chess anymore, I hear there is a profession without stress. Try planting kangkung. No stress and not much thinking needed there. And you do not need much skill either I am told.

So Peter, either change yourself and improve or leave chess. I have offered a suggestion to you. Take it or not it is up to you. But do not do any more harm to Malaysian chess players. Ok Peter?