Abdul Rahman Abdul Taib states in his letter Apostasy punishment quite clear in texts that '... one should not view the death penalty for apostasy as infringing on human rights' because, he claims, Islam doesn't coerce anyone to convert to Islam.

Infringing on human rights? No, killing someone for re-evaluating his or her personal religious convictions is not 'infringing' on human rights; it is a gross violation of human rights. It is barbaric, medieval and uncivilised. Other religions leave it up to God to judge.

And for those who are born into Islam in an Islamic country? They will never have the freedom to explore or change their own convictions. The penalty may well be death for thinking freely.

No wonder, there is a clash of civilisations. Even the majority of Americans may not like George W Bush for his sheer stupidity, but at least he represents a nation of freedom as opposed to theocratic totalitarianism.