I refer to the letter No fatwa against Malik Imtiaz by Zainur Zakaria and Zainul Rijal Abu Bakar. Whilst we appreciate that Raja Aziz Addruse should have verified with the Fatwa Council before making that statement, the rakyat is grossly disappointed by the attitude of the Fatwa Council in not coming publicly to condemn the wide circulation of the 'death threat' against Malik Imtiaz, who was and is only doing his professional duty as a lawyer of conscience.

In some Islamic countries, the death decree is decided by the Fatwa Council or by the supreme spiritual leader as was the case of Salman Rushdie for the publication of his 'Satanic Verses'.

Over the last two decades during the reign of Dr Mahathir Mohamad, he had given too much freedom to Muslim fanatics within Umno and the Islamic authorities not because he was a very pious man but because he wanted to match PAS in the field of religion for his own political strength and power.

Therefore, the time is right for Pak Lah, who is well-read in Islamic studies, to initiate changes for moderation before we become even more fanatical and lose our senses in the name of religion. We must all remember that no one can take one's religion from oneself if one has faith in that religion, and if that religion is doing good for all mankind and breeds no hatred against anyone, whether friend or foe.