I refer to Arbibi Ashoy's letter Al-Arqam: Remember that non-Muslims kept silent .

Arbibi said: 'The attitude of many non-Muslims is that they let the government do as they please towards the Muslim population but when it regards matters concerning non-Muslims, the constitution must be upheld. This selective application of human rights is neither feasible nor moral'. I totally agree.

I was out of the country when the Al-Arqam incident happened and so was only vaguely aware of it, but if is anything like the disgraceful 'Sky Kingdom' crackdown, I agree that freedom of religion means freedom of other people's religion as well.

However, it is understandable why non-Muslims did not speak up. Islam is tightly state-controlled here, so much so that I was not even aware of other forms of Islam until I went to the US. We non-Muslims have it repeatedly pounded into us by both Umno and PAS not to 'interfere' with 'internal Islamic affairs.

No wonder the non-Muslims did not speak up as lamented by Arbibi. We already know how Umno is desperate to cling on to power using whatever legitimate as well as illegitimate means possible, but PAS should be ashamed of itself for using the same line.

Nonetheless, to paraphrase Martin Niemueller's statement against the lack of resistance by the majority of German Christians against the Nazi persecution of the minorities:

They came for Al Arqam, and I did not speak up, for I was not an Al Arqam member.

They came for the Sky Kingdom, and I did not speak up, for I was not a Sky Kingdom member.

They came for the Muslims, and I did not speak up, for I was not a Muslim.

When they came for me, there was nobody left to speak up.

We are all Malaysians, and we have a responsibility towards each other, regardless of what religion we belief in. Human rights are a God-given right for everyone.

In light of this, I hope Arbibi will also support non-Muslims in speaking out for Lina Joy, Sharmala, Moorthy, Raimah, etc.