With reference to the letter Have dialogue, but leave Islam alone , I would like to say that it is too easy to brush off the complex issues involved as merely being an attempt by certain quarters to interpret Islam via 'permissiveness, relative moralism and a culture of abdication'.

I think the whole issue is much deeper than that. At heart, it is a conflict of laws and values. Civil liberties and human rights versus Islamic values. Can we reconcile the two while maintaining multi-religious harmony ?

Consider the subject of Muslim apostasy. Isn't the freedom to a choice in religion a cardinal human right protected under Article 18? Or are Muslim Malaysians to be denied of this freedom on the grounds that it is contrary to Islamic teachings - based on a 10th century interpretation of Islam from the Middle East?

Yes, I support the freedom to choose a religion and that means I believe that even Muslims can choose to apostasise. But this does not imply that I encourage Muslims to apostasise. Far from it. It's just that such a freedom seems very basic one to me.

And what about the recent Jawi raid ? Isn't that a conflict between secular, civil liberties on one hand and Islamic values on the other? I am totally against the existence of a 'morality police' that selectively enforces Islamic morals in a biased manner.

There are many Muslims in Malaysia who are employed in the tourism, entertainment and hotel sectors of the economy. And yes, they do serve alcohol. Are they to be deprived of their rice bowl just because some people want to see Islamic values legally enforced? Isn't that hypocrisy?

Besides, the whole argument that discos and other such entertainment outlets are the cause of moral decay amongst bumiputera youths is complete and utter nonsense. Why is it that Chinese, Indian and Eurasian youths are not significantly affected by these entertainment outlets?

They go dating, drink alcohol and so on, but they still do well in school, business and work - even in the face of an uneven playing field! Shame on the bumiputeras.

You see, it is too easy to lay the blame on others rather than to perform an honest and in-depth analysis or introspection. Blame the discos. Blame the movies. Blame just about everything except yourself.

The truth is that there is a very severe conflict of values between scientific modernity on one hand, and Islamic values on the other. The Muslim world is just beginning to embrace modernisation and that puts great stress on the family and individual.

Especially when we rely on a 10th century, Middle Eastern interpretation of Islam. The way I see it, only a re-interpretation of Islam which is consistent with modernity can resolve these problems.

And that is no trivial matter that can be brushed aside contemptuously.

As for the letter Morality cannot be a private matter , I would like to ask the writer specifically on who's moral values is she talking about? Islamic morals? Christian morals? Buddhist, maybe?

The point in making morality a private matter is to avoid the imposition of specific moral rules of one belief system onto the followers of another different system. It's a conflict of laws.

However, there are common values across all the belief systems and those are what can be policed upon by the state. Those values which are particular only to a specific religion cannot and should not be policed by the state as that is tantamount to the imposition of beliefs by the state.

The real situation is far from easy as we are dealing with a conflict of laws and values. Hence my support for the liberal view.