Even as we condemn Umno for the recent fire-bombing of churches, the other component parties of BN are not totally blameless.

While Umno has consistently played the race and religion cards, the other parties have consistently failed to stand up against it.

By allowing Umno to have its way, the other parties have abetted in its crimes.

The issue is simply this: Should the use of ‘Allah’ be allowed? The court has delivered its verdict on this, even if a higher court has exercised a stay order which, to its credit, the Catholic Church has agreed to.

While we know Umno’s stand on this matter, what is the stand of the other non-Umno component parties in BN? In the past, we have seen them turn tail in the face of Umno's displeasure.

Will they find their spine this time?

Whatever the final ruling wil be on this matter, we cannot continue to give in to extremists. It has gone beyond the 'A' word. It’s about mob rule and whether we should again give in to religious bigots and extremists.

Examples of the latter?

- The APCET Case (which the court has now awarded 30,000 ringgit each to the plaintiffs)

- The threat by Umno Youth to burn down the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall

- The Article 11 incident in Penang where, instead of arresting the demonstrators (which the police would have done were they opposition members), the police ordered the meeting to end

- The cow head demonstration

- The issues of conversions, demolision of temples, obstructing the building of churches, etc.

With such a track record, should anyone be surprised with what has happened?

In the past, Umno - if not openly encouraging extremists - had given them a nod and a wink. As the premier Najib Abdul Razak said recently, “you can’t stop people from protesting”.

Freedom to protest, unfortunately, seems reserved only for Barisan Nasional supporters.

Had the government applied the law fairly and without bias, and nipped such actions in the bud – whichever quarter it comes from - then I believe we wouldn't have seen the fire bombings of churches.

The government cannot shift and waver the rules whenever it perceives the votes to be coming from. We have a constitution and we have laws. Those who flout them must be dealt with accordingly.

Extremist elements must learn that they cannot have their way.

Is there a danger of widespread racial/religious unrest a la May 13?

I don’t think so.

2010 is not 1969. There is a very large middle class of educated and liberal Malays. There is better access to alternative media. People are better informed. The troubles were started by only a very small section of the Malays (albeit, with Umno’s tacit approval).

Most Malays have nothing to do with these protests.  Unlike 1969, the Malays today have much to lose and will not tolerate a few hooligans spoiling it for them.

More importantly, Malay leaders from the opposition are not supporting this ‘jihad’. PAS has backed the court’s ruling – contrary to Najib’s calculations.

And not every Umno member is in support of it, although I suspect there are those who are desperate enough to do anything to save their sinking ship – including risking racial strife.

Malaysians, whatever their ethnicity or religion are by and large peace loving. They are more interested in ‘cari makan’ than ‘cari gadoh’.

However, there are those who call for the non-Muslims to abandon the use of ‘Allah’ for the sake of peace.

If only it were so easy. Do the Sikhs now have to remove ‘Allah’ from their holy book? Would Christians who have been using the word all these years (without any trouble) have to stop using it just because lately it has become taboo?

When do we stop appeasing the bullies? If it's not ‘Allah,’ it would have been something else. At some point we must draw the line.

If Umno had hoped to gain leverage by exploiting this situation, it has seriously miscalculated. It has now virtually lost Peninsula Malaysia.

More than ever, it now depends on Sabah and Sarawak to survive. The majority of the population in both our eastern states are non-Muslims. In fact, the majority are Christians, and they are not going to take this sitting down.

Time will tell if the extremist bullies that Umno has nurtured will become uncontrollable.

Like the parent whose spoilt child has finally gone too far and now refuses to take responsibility, Najib is denying Umno’s part in raising a monster.

The extremists we have today did not pop up overnight.

Najib himself was the poster boy of the extremist elements in Umno Youth during his kris waving days as president.

He now asks that fingers not be pointed at him and Umno.

Why not? Did not he and Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein not indirectly encourage the mob?

For the government to continue to block the use of ‘Allah’ and to withhold the Bibles even when the Islamic party PAS has agreed to its use, is tantamount to condoning what has happened.