The prime minister and a few others have rationalised the Perak mufti's statement that the Kongsi Raya celebrations are not Islamic. It seems to have ended with that. Should it? In my view, this view from the ulama is the symptom of more dangerous thinking and strategy.

The question to be asked is, why did the mufti make such a statement, especially when we remember that almost 30 percent of our population is of Chinese origin and how hurt and upset the Chinese Malaysian must be. I can understand how hurt and upset they must feel when their Muslim friends and countrymen cannot join them to celebrate the most important event in the Chinese calender just because the Malays are Muslims and the Chinese are not.

Now we are told we cannot celebrate together and this trend if left unchecked, we will soon be told Muslims cannot go to eating places run by non-Muslims (although halal), we cannot talk to each other, we cannot work in the same offices and places, we cannot live in the same areas, cannot study in the same schools and ultimately cannot live in the same country because we are from different religions.

I know the Malays are a cultured and accommodating race especially now because of education and exposure. Most of them will not take my statements seriously and will probably laugh it off as absurd. But there are people, probably in very small numbers, who will take the Perak mufti seriously and that does not augur well for a muti-racial and multi-religious country like Malaysia. National unity must prevail above all interests and differences at all costs.

The mufti, if I am not mistaken, is civil servant paid from public funds and subject to all civil service disciplinary procedures. The prime minister and other top leaders should have condemned the mufti's statement to send a very clear message to overzealous religious and racial fanatics that the government will not tolerate divisive statements and trends.

We are getting statements such as the mufti's because Umno wants to appear more Islamic than PAS. This is no doubt for the Malay votes but the extreme elements, for lack of knowledge and lack of capacity to read the dangerous consequences of their thoughts to the nation, are becoming bold and now Umno is completely lost as to how to correct the situation and reverse the trend.

We have to thank Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad for the current state of affairs. It is time for the government to stand up, take control and save Malaysia from extremists of all kinds.