Dear Honourable PM,

I followed with much concern the political, religious and racial development in Malaysia, and am alarmed and disturbed by the deteriorating development you have permitted.

Though I understand that it was not easy to hold this multicultural, multiracial and multireligious society together, (and I prayed for you regularly), you have been mandated by the nation to use all your power and authority vested in you to rein and stop every element that will disrupt the peace and harmony of the nation – but you did not.

Even if you did, your effort was weak and it was not evident at all. (You sounded promising when you said you would unite Malaysians when you first took over from Pak Lah and issued the 1Malaysia slogan – but it all fizzled out since the last election.)

Dear Mr PM, you yourself know that we can have all the plans for economy and development, but if the racial and religious harmony is destroyed, your plans will never succeed.

In short, the stability and progress of this country hinges on the foundation of a harmonious and peaceful relationship with one another.

What is the point of preaching to the world about moderation, when in your own backyard, you failed to rein over the ultras, and extremists, and allowing them to run and cause havoc to this beloved country?

These people only have their own agenda in mind and are shredding in pieces the sacrifices and hard work of your predecessors to build and keep Malaysia together as a homogeneous and harmonious family together.

I am afraid by your continuing silence, (when it matters most at the time for you to speak out), you have allowed Utusan Malaysia and Perkasa to spew out racial and religious hatred and provocation with impunity, and have caused the rakyat to feel that you are a PM for only one race and religion, though you have publicly said otherwise.

I fear that you will be misconstrued as having had a hand in these provocateurs or even supported (which was admitted by Perkasa recently) them, to divide and provoke the harmonious racial relationship which has existed since independence.

You have heard that "what you sow, you will reap". Continual provocation will definitely cause retaliation one day.

For instance, the word "Allah" has now become a forbidden word for non-Muslims.

A survey done by UMICEDEL found that in the peninsula, about 77% of the Muslims were against non-Muslims using the word.

But Honourable PM, the word "Allah" had never an issue since the formation of Malaysia, or even when the Bible was translated into Bahasa Malaysia umpteen years ago.

It was never an issue with Muslims in the past and it is never an issue with Muslims in other countries.

But this matter was brought to the fore, and in order to convince the Muslims that it was an exclusive word for the Muslims, you have allowed the use of propaganda through the media, through Jakim, through like-minded ulamas to reinforce the reasoning for the ban of the word "Allah" for non-Muslims, and you have succeeded in doing so.

Hence today, this has become a sensitive and explosive issue for Muslims. In fact, what you have done is not perceived as a champion for Islam but for political mileage for Umno and Barisan Nasional, hoping to gain support from Muslims and Malays who are the majority race in this country.

By doing so, and if you succeed, then, with majority support, you will not need to be at the mercy of other races. Is it not so? Even if it were no, this is how the rakyat has come to perceive you.

Almost every day, statements are made to attack Christians, the Chinese, and non-Malays, and if there are any reaction from them, they are threatened by the inspector-general of police.

Then, you would ask the rakyat to preserve the country's peace and harmony. Preserving peace and harmony of the country should begin from the top first, not from the bottom.

I am afraid, Honourable PM, that if you do not rein in racial and religious issues, our harmony and peace that we have experienced so far, and the sacrifices of our forebears may be for nought.

Then, if that happens, (which I pray will never happen) all that you seek to do is to reconcile and heal the nation. It may be too late then. 

Mr PM, I appeal to you, please take up the authority and power vested in you to stop this madness of racial and religious rhetoric and provocation tearing this nation apart.

I hope you will take time to read this letter which arose out of deep concern and love for Malaysia.

Salam 1Malaysia.

SS