I can no longer understand how it is many Malaysians seem to think. Maybe studying overseas has helped rid me of racist, sexist, corrupt, and complacent viewpoints and tendencies, such that I no longer think of issues like women's rights, Orang Asli/Asal concerns, and religious and civil liberties in the same skewed manner as so many Malaysian politicians and malaysiakini readers.

Correct me if I'm being overly simplistic here, but isn't it obvious that marital rape should be recognised as rape, and that obscure lines in a religious text used to legitimise such acts of violence are opportunistic and mocking?

Is it not perfectly clear to everyone that we treat the indigenous people of Malaysia, by which I mean the Orang Asli/Asal, in a deplorable manner, and that before we talk of going religious by building more mosques and demolishing more temples, we should maybe look into actually practising the principles of justice and egalitarianism that are much more in keeping with proper Islamic values?

Speaking of proper Islamic values, I was struck by Najib's pronouncement that Malaysia is not secular 'because being secular by Western definition means separation of the Islamic principles in the way we govern a country'. I would think by such a definition, we would most definitely be secular! Our orientation is strictly capitalist and developmentalist, is it not?

Our gods are foreign investment, world records, and development. We worship at these altars. I didn't think proper Islamic states with policies that reflect the importance of living a pure and faithful life as a believing Muslim would spend money on shopping centres and motor speedways rather than on poor orphans. I cannot fathom how it is Najib thinks we are a state governed by Islamic principles.

Secularism as a political principle is merely the notion that the state should not control religion and nor should religious institutions and religious discourse 'hijack' the state. When Madison and Jefferson insisted on a secular US, they did so not because they hate religion, but because they did not want to see religion tarnished by the dirty world of state politics. When the public challenges or attacks the government of the day, it would be nice if they did not feel the need to also attack religion.

And that's partly because the form that religious discourses take is very different from the form that democratic politics takes. Religion has no place in a constitutional democracy. It may have a place in the practices and principles of our citizens, including those who are part of the state, but that should be all. To maintain this distinction is to uphold the integrity of both state and religion.

Having said that, when Umno tries to usurp religion, we know it's because the state has lost much of its integrity. As Anwar Ibrahim and several others have pointed out, Umno barely understands what it means to be an Islamic state. They'll say anything that proves to be politically expedient. And, of course, the state wants to appropriate Islamic discourse in order to neutralise its potential as a source for dissent. That's why Umno's been trying to uphold 'state Islam' and do away with all other versions ever since the revivalist/'dakwah' movement first brought Islam visibly into the public sphere.

When we allow Umno to set Islam as the agenda, we let them:

a) ride on the integrity of Islamic heritage

b) change the subject

It is not the business of the Malaysian state to amend the federal constitution. If the public wants a different constitution, we'd arrange a coup or vote PAS into the federal seat. We are in no danger of doing either. So, Umno, stop changing the subject already!

To Umno/BN: Your subject should be dealing with corruption, accepting that the NEP is past its due (and has probably done more harm than good), reforming our education system (which is dismal), and restoring independence of judiciary. Since elections are approaching, we will be watching you closely. We have let you get away with 50 years of plunder, bad governance, and chauvinist and illiberal policies. Turning 'Islamic' is not going to save you on Judgement (read: Election) Day.

And to Malaysian citizens: Remember the days when Malaysians could speak decent English? When Singapore was our equal? When we could be proud of a fiercely independent civil court system, rather than a large and ungainly court complex in the middle of nowhere (Putrajaya)? When, as a nation, we could discuss bettering our country and achieving development, rather than engaging in moot debates on whether we are Islamic or secular?

I am not trying to say that we used to be wonderful and just and prosperous. But at least at one point we were developing, becoming better, growing together as a nation, as Malaysians.

Today, every move we make seems regressive. The only great things about the past decade is that growing dissatisfaction with the state has seen the development of an increasingly vibrant and plural civil society. But are we not hungry for more? Are we not capable of better?

I think it's time we shoved Umno out the door. I think it's time MCA and company to rethink the alliance. I think it's time DAP found itself a decent Barisan Alternatif strong enough to form a government. And I think it's time we showed our discontent and our hunger for more and better. Because 50 years is enough stagnation, don't you think?