I must commend Dr Mazeni Alwi on his article Re-inventing the opposition

, which was for the most part, an insightful analysis on the state of the opposition parties in Malaysia. However, his perception that DAP is 'obsessive' in advocating a Godless secular Malaysia is patently wrong.

DAP has consistently been addressing issues like human rights, democracy, freedom of speech, transparency, accountability ever since its inception. Many of their leaders have paid a heavy price, including being incarcerated for advocating these ideals. Are these values irreligious or anti-God?

PAS, a party which invokes the name of "Allah" at the drop of a hat, clearly aligned itself with the Taliban regime, a so-called 'God-fearing' regime who rejoiced openly in the murder of thousands of innocents in the Sept 11 attacks.

The mindless destruction of the Bamiyan Buddha statues in Afghanistan was brushed off lightly by PAS (though its spiritual leader much later admitted

he did not approve of the destruction). So much for their respect for other religions! Are these values Godlike?

The DAP has always fought for a multireligious, multicultural, secular and democratic Malaysia. In fact, the moral values espoused in many of the great religions are consistent with DAP's vision of a just Malaysia. It must be stressed that secularism is consistent with theism.