Being away for most of last month, I was spared the predictable commotion to the Federal Territory Islamic Affairs Department (Jawi) raid on Zouk in Kuala Lumpur. I read the reports and responses online last week and then hopped on to the Inter Faith Commission (IFC) conference last week. This is a civil society initiative facilitated by the Bar Council.

On the morning of Feb 27, a SMS alerted me to a New Sunday Times front-page report that Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is opposed to the setting up of the IFC. I am most surprised at this reaction. But Pak Lah was not there to appreciate the professionalism of the facilitators and experience the fellowship that the conference generated.

The Star Online offered another angle. It reported that the premier at a launch of a Proton plant spoke to reporters that IFC idea be placed on hold to study the "objections against the formation of the commission". That report was more redeeming of the premier.

It would be most unfortunate for the premier to be perceived as pre-empting the civil society initiative. I doubt that the steering committee of the IFC, chaired by lawyer Malik Imtiaz Sarwar, had the chance to meet the premier to convey the aspirations of the IFC participants, the conference having ended last Friday.

The premier appeared to make a preference for inter-faith relations through dialogue over the establishment of the IFC. With due respect, I really do not see how the formation of the IFC would put a stop to inter-faith dialogue.