I refer to your report Police ignored mob, say forum organisers .

It is a sad day indeed when Malaysians cannot discuss their common grievances in public due to mob rule as what has happened in Penang recently. Is this trend of mob rule and disturbing other people conferences going to be a normal occurrence in this country?

We are living in the 21st century, not in a medieval country where dissenting voices are not to be heard in public fora. How can a nation which practices parliamentary democracy allow zealots to break the law by disturbing a legitimate open forum?

While I might not agree with what was to be discussed at that forum with regards to Islamic law, we need to be more civilised and learn to agree to disagree amicably without hurting other people's feelings.

This is not the first time a conference has attracted unwanted attention. We should recall a similar incident a few years back where a similar mob had disrupted a forum on the Indonesian massacre in then East Timor.

Another incident of a BN component party member being harassed by a gang of fellow BN members also doesn't speak well of the mindset of our populace here especially the politicians.

Open debate and intelligent discourse should be allowed to held by the various races in this country in order for us to move ahead as a modern and civilised society. Shoving our political baggage onto the backburner will not solve the problems and everything will eventually erupt with a big bang.

The rule of law should be strictly adhered to and those who are bent on promoting their own religious values onto others should be held accountable if the situation gets out of hand.