The Muslim Professionals Forum (MPF) lauds the Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's recent call for a moratorium to the proposed establishment of the Interfaith Commission (IFC).

The primary purpose of any form of interfaith body is surely to promote religious harmony in a plural society like Malaysia. Instead, the hasty manner in which this has been effected has only succeeded in alienating mainstream Muslims and Muslim organisations.

The claim by the proponents and multiple press reports that the IFC concept is supported by many Muslims and Muslim groups is preposterous since only two Muslim groups were at the inaugural conference in Bangi.

The time-tested Malaysian way of conflict resolution in the spirit of 'cross-cultural muhibbah' was unheeded and not surprisingly, the ensuing polemics has acutely polarised opinions and is now a sure recipe for interfaith discord.

It is most perplexing that in this highly sensitive domain of religious beliefs, teachings and practices, the proponents of the IFC have opted for an unprecedented legal process - the first of it's kind in the world.

When it was first mooted in 2001, the Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism and Sikhism (MCCBCHS) in their memorandum to the Bar Council had mooted a statutory body with adjudicative powers which was enthusiastically embraced by the latter.

This despite the vehement objections and counter proposals from Accin (Allied Coordinating Committee of Islamic NGOs) and the Bar Council's Shariah subcommittee. Their motives and designs then would be in direct contravention of the letter and the spirit of the social contract as enshrined in the Federal Constitution.

Apart from their dabbling in intra-faith matters, an interfaith commission with purported adjudicative powers would undermine the role of the Malay rulers as the heads of Islam and interfere with existing constitutional arrangements between the states and the federal government.

This historical context of the evolution of the IFC is vital to our understanding of the misapprehensions of mainstream Muslims and Muslim organisations and the unwritten agenda of the IFC proponents and their legal allies.

The universal solidarity of mainstream Muslims and Muslim organisations against the IFC was very instrumental in the now much watered down profile of the IFC in being just advisory and recommendatory in function.

These two functions could have been readily served by existing machinery which undoubtedly needs better official recognition, repair and upgrading. But hurt and suspicions which this unnecessary confrontation has unleashed will now take double time to mend.

Nonetheless, the absolute power of God's love, mercy and forgiveness have always been the essence of all our faiths and together we shall overcome

As an organisation of Muslim professionals, we feel that the provisions in the Federal Constitution remain the fairest and most democratic framework within which Malaysians of all denominations can freely practice their religious beliefs and interact in a harmonious manner while safeguarding the status of Islam as the religion of the federation.

In the spirit of respecting the faith of others, Muslims do not question nor challenge the teachings and practices of other religions. It is only fair that we request this respect to be reciprocated. We feel there are, at present, sufficient mechanisms through which legal disputes pertaining to freedom of religion can be adjudicated.

The MPF looks forward to all forms of interfaith dialogues to share many of our common aspirations for humanity and religiosity. As Muslim professionals, we believe that a healthy and fertile discourse towards the persuasion of the minds and the awakening of the hearts should be done within the Quranic exhortation of 'Call unto the way of Thy Lord with wisdom and fair persuasion and reason with them in the best possible manner" (Al Quran; Surah An-Nahl, 16:

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The MPF calls on all parties to heed the advice of the PM in order to safeguard Malaysia's hard-won religious harmony.

The writer is a board member of the Muslim Professionals Forum.