“The expression of my faith discomforts some Muslims while the expression of my tolerance frightens some non-Muslims.” - Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh

COMMENT | I really like this quote by Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh that opens this piece. Why? Because it makes it seem her expressions of tolerance exist in a vacuum and the non-Muslims who are frightened by her expressions are the ones with the problem.

It is a neat deflection on a hot-button issue, which makes her critics seem unreasonable.

In this country, “tolerance” is a one-way street. It is a street only used by the non-Malay population.

Mind you, the word “tolerance” is in itself a loathsome word. It is a word lacking empathy, simpatico, goodwill, or camaraderie. The word implies, “enduring” instead of “accepting” and “understanding” - all those sentiments that denote a sense of belonging. But okay, I will play the “tolerance” game.