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Salbiah Ahmad's Mob violence: Not in our name, please is a most important contribution to the on-going reactions worldwide to the Danish cartoon issue. The fact that the publication date was Sept 30, 2005 is not common knowledge. To think that it could invoke such violent protests a full four months after the event is a very sobering thought indeed for people of goodwill everywhere.

As a Christian Malaysian, I do not condone ridiculing of sacred values regardless of which religion may have been targeted. From that perspective, the Danish cartoon issue is reprehensible and much more care could have been taken before the decision to publish given the present schism between the Western and the Muslim world.

At the same time, I do understand that behind the art of carricature there can be legitimate social comments and if taken in more sober spirit they may contain very important lessons for all. Of course we must all also bear in mind that not all people have the same threshold for critical comment or humour.

Be that as it may, certain developments in Malaysia of late are giving people of goodwill serious cause for concern. Over the M Moorthy conversion issue, among other things, we saw the coming together of otherwise arch enemies Umno and PAS. Both reacted sharply to the memorandum submitted by the nine cabinet ministers.

From a democratic standpoint, I do not have problems with that. Every Malaysian should have the right to express their true feelings although of course a more circumspect manner of doing so would have been better for social relations purposes. What I do take exception to is the fact that it is all too one-sided and double standards are so blatantly adopted in such matters in Malaysia.

With due respect, Umno and PAS must understand that while they hold their religious values sacred and their right in this is not been contested, other Malaysians also hold their religious values sacred. When the Holy Bible in the national language is effectively banned in public book stores in Malaysia (and this is still the case), as a Christian Malaysian I feel scandalised and

outraged.

Not so in Egypt. When traveling in the highway between Cairo and Alexandria, I found a Bible Society booth in the rest area amidst restaurants and other shops. The Holy Bible in Arabic and other religious study books were in full display and well patronised by all and sundry.

Whereabouts are Umno and PAS in this? How come they can take to the streets when their values have been deemed to have been invaded but even a candlelight service by other Malaysians had to cease. Whereabouts were Umno and PAS when 9/11 took place? At that time I found Anwar Ibrahim's article in Time magazine entitled 'Who hijacked Islam?' so timely and reassuring.

In it he summarily condemned the violence against innocent people as non-Islamic and the perpetrators of this cowardly act did not speak for Islam; Muslims of goodwill should take their stand and speak up for true Islam. Mutual respect for one another and adherence to universal values and fundamental human rights as extolled by all religions is the only path to peace and harmony for Malaysia and the world at large. May God have mercy on all human beings.

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