As a Malaysian living in the US, I have been keen to point out to fellow Americans that the Islam in Malaysia is totally opposite of the Taliban-type Islam.

Having said that, I am sad to hear the favouring of extremism in Islam in Malaysia by public officials. If only they open their eyes and look at countries with an extreme form of Islam, they would have realised that it is a model that will doom Malaysia before they know it.

It appears that public officials are pandering to the hard core of their constituents in order to be seen as the person that will champion their wish for an Islamic state - all this for political gain. As a plural nation, Malaysia should refrain from branding the country as Islamic. It does so at the peril of antagonising the non-Muslim populace.

Democracy is earned and has to be nurtured for the country to survive in the harsh global environment. If Malaysia is to spring forward in a globalised world, the full energy of the population has to be channelled for that purpose.

If we are to bicker amongst ourselves on the worry that our future in the country is going to be bleak and oppressed because freedom will not be like what it was then, I foresee a future Malaysia where all is in shambles while all the neigbouring countries soar.