The letter entitled School textbooks advocating murder left me alarmed and very upset.

If the writer's claims are indeed true, then the sternest action must be taken against those responsible. How is it possible for a country that is supposedly progressive and which proudly flaunts its title as a model Muslim country to have textbooks which shamelessly extol the virtues of homicidal acts in the name of Islam?

While admittedly still in a minority, a growing number of reputable Muslim scholars have openly stated that apostates are not to be harmed. A programme aimed at education presents students with differing viewpoints and encourages them to use their God-given brains to decide which view to adopt. A programme aimed at indoctrination only reinforces one, single viewpoint.

Are our schools institutions of education or centres of indoctrination?

To begin to answer this question, it is imperative that the writer produce evidence of these textbooks to enable some investigations to take place. I would urge malaysiakini to launch an investigation to identify who was responsible for the publication of the textbook and its introduction into the education system.

The textbook should also be passed on to the NGO community in order for a police report to be made on the basis that the material may incite. Other textbooks should also be thoroughly examined.

If there is basis for these allegations, then those responsible for the seepage of such vicious doctrine into the Malaysian education system must have the proverbial book thrown at them, whether they be writers, publishers or civil servants.

Our children are the future of this nation and to allow any of them to be brainwashed into accepting a venomous understanding of Islam is wholly unacceptable - to allow this is to sow the seeds of our nation's destruction.