COMMENT | Malaysia, the land of my birth, is almost unrecognisable today.

Values have been thrown out the window, things we once held dear have gone belly-up, and the version of Islam that is practised resembles a cult. Umno Baru is about tribalism, nationalism wants to wipe out multiculturalism, and religious extremism has removed many of our freedoms.

The only ones who prosper are the bigots, who enjoy the protection of the tribal leaders and members of the cult.

The rest of us are ruled with fear or favour. Gone are the days when most of us did things because it was right.

There is no end to the insanity. Should we resign ourselves as the newly emerging Afghanistan, Rhodesia, or Lebanon (take your pick) of Southeast Asia?

Drug addicts who steal a few ringgits from collection boxes in the mosques are manhandled and roughed up before being handed over to the police. The crowd will scream "shame on you" and demand that the thieves be beaten to a pulp.

Incredibly, no one bats an eyelid when the man who stole billions of ringgits from the taxpayer was given a hero's welcome...