Now, the dressings of both Muslim and non-Muslim women working in retail outlets are subject to the approval of Kota Baru Municipal Council in the name of upholding the status of Kota Baru as ‘an Islamic City’.

The advocates of greater Islamisation of Malaysia have always tried to assure the non-Muslims that the greater emphasis of Islam in the public sphere will not affect non-Muslims. In fact, they have always tried to take away the right of non-Muslims to voice their concerns about the increasing Islamicisation of Malaysia by arguing that ‘Islamic laws only affect the Muslims, so non-Muslims have no right to discuss them’.

Recent events have proven that the above excuses are naive, if not downright deceptive. When Islam is emphasised and implemented in the public sphere, everybody is affected, whether Muslims or not. The problem is because these Muslim chauvinists have chosen to label whether a thing is Islamic or not, and their list is ever expanding irrespective of whether non-Muslim are affected.

Both Muslims and non-Muslims should take a step back and look at the big picture and recent trends to realise how our basic human freedom has been curtailed, gradually, by religious fascists. It should also be clear to us by now that the modus operandi of these religious fascists is to erode our freedom bit by bit, and they are very patient indeed.

This means we must defend every inch of our dwindling space of personal autonomy and freedom, without naively giving in, regardless of how trivial the issue or intrusion might seem today.

After all, it is our Malaysia too.