I have a daughter studying in Form 4 in a ‘sekolah kebangsaan’ in Penang. Recently, she shared her experience while in assembly convened for the school’s Peratuan Bulan Sabit Merah.

The teacher-in-charge of the association started off with opening prayers comprising holy Islamic verses (baca doa). All the Muslim students were required to lift their hands up to the chest level and the non-Muslim students were also asked to raise their hands up and open their palms upwards.

All the non-Muslim parents restricted their children from doing so in the following week’s assembly but the teacher-in-charge still forced the students to do so. Now I wonder what should I do about this. I have few questions on my mind:

Are non-Muslim students being slowly being forced to practice Islamic ways in schools? Will there be a day in the future when non-Muslim students would be forced to wear the 'tudung' (head scarf) as well?

My daughter further shared that Monday morning assemblies for the school too kick off with holy prayers (baca doa) but non-Muslim students are spared (so far) from raising their hands. But in the classrooms, all Muslim students must stand up and recite Islamic holy words (baca doa) before start of class, while non-Muslim students also need to stand up.

In my schooling days, there were no prayers done at any part of the assemblies or gatherings. Prayers were only reserved for Muslim students in their allocated place of worship (the surau). But today we see different. Does this mean that one day, I mean, really one day in the future, non-Muslim students will be forced to do things just like their Muslims schoolmates?

Doesn’t this mean forcing one to worship a God not of one’s faith? Doesn't this mean dictatorship? Where are we heading, dear Malaysians?

While I have a great respect for all other religions and faiths, forcing one to practice another faith is totally unacceptable. Just reverse the situation and imagine a Muslim-student being required to do the same in a Christian-based school?

This will be the headline news the next day and the school teacher will face a serious consequences from our government.