COMMENT | What is happening to Malaysia, a country that often boasts itself as multiracial and multi-religious? Are we moving in the direction of religious and ethnic extremism?

Harmless statues are being removed from parks and schools in the name of protecting a religion. Slow but sure, segregation measures are being introduced in schools by some overzealous headmasters. The list can go on.

These are some of the recent developments in the country that have incensed and hurt the feelings of non-Muslims. They point in the direction where the country is becoming religiously polarised. Of course, ethnic and religious politics at the macro level are not helping the situation. In fact, they are making the situation much worse.

In a park in Kulim, two statues of women with wings were removed because they were "offensive" to Islam. These statues merely existed to enhance the attraction of the park but were ordered removed.

In a school in Ulu Langat, the headmaster instructed the separation of drinking cups for Muslim and non-Muslim children. Although the direction was rescinded, nonetheless, the damage was done, and it set a dangerous precedent for other schools in the country to follow.

Very recently, a statue of great Tamil poet Thiruvalluvar in a Tamil School in the state was told to be covered up by the Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar's Office.

I am not sure how these three incidents would advance inter-racial and inter-religious understanding in a country that has become increasingly polarised. These acts were committed by those in power under the present BN government. But why then the zeal to remove these statues ending up hurting the non-Muslims?

The statues in the park in Kulim had been there for some time but how come they became suddenly offensive to the villagers, resulting in their removal?

Separating drinking cups for Muslims and non-Muslims seems an early sign of the emergence of a religious apartheid in public schools. I am sure if these trends are not checked, we might even do better than what South Africa did during the apartheid era.

The latest incident of the cover-up of the statue in Negeri Sembilan is a worrisome one. It did not take place in a public park but in a Tamil school.

Thiruvalluvar, the classical Tamil poet, is a household name among the Tamils, the world over. He wrote the document "Thirukkural" many thousands of years ago and it is considered as one of the famous classical Tamil texts. It is not a religious text but contains words of wisdom, as to how Tamils should lead their lives in the world.

I don't understand why the menteri besar's office would issue such a directive for covering up the statue. What were the headmaster, teachers and members of the parent-teacher association doing when the statue was covered up? Most importantly, what was the Negeri Sembilan MIC doing when this directive was implemented?

It is indeed shocking that there are no obvious limits to what the authorities can do and cannot. Statues that have existed for long have suddenly become "offensive" to Muslims. Ordinary events and programmes in the country have been rendered political.

P RAMASAMY is Deputy Chief Minister II of Penang and the state assemblyperson for Perai.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.