Our current administration needs to seriously examine its stance to describe Malaysia as a Muslim state. The consequences are far reaching to say the least.

This debate or lack of, is another instance of highhandedness in the government in determining policies that jeopardises the whole nation. For too long now the public has to bear the brunt of economic waste, education guidelines that make a mockery of our standards and social dictates established to preserve the status quo .

There doesn't seem to be any outlet for reprieve to address such folly. The majority of politicians within the ruling party don't exercise much wisdom that begets their position, the media have their hands tied, the judiciary today sings to the tune of the executive branch and our police force is a law onto themselves, ignoring their civic duties to the public that make them more and more like under bosses to the Home Ministry.

It is no light matter declaring our nation as a Muslim state. The voices for or against the notion need to be heard. It is the right of every citizen to be involved in such a debate and not just the voice of Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad who may be contemplating his own agenda.

On the surface, much and little has been said of our PM's recent visit to Libya, a country much in the forefront in its conflict with Western powers. Imagine our PM hugging and exchanging pleasantries with Col Gaddafi, the very person whose hands are tainted with death (Pan Am flight over Lockerbie, Scotland).

Being a politician first and foremost, our PM has certainly done well for himself. His authority is second to none as he has over time conceived the mechanism within the system to protect that authority. Only history will lay bare his legacy.

Perhaps the PM's proclamation was not given due consideration or perhaps is it just a ploy to usurp the influence of PAS. Regardless of the facts behind the scene, our PM has inconceivably subjected his citizens to scrutiny that is unwarranted.

The US government has just implemented its policy of photographing and fingerprinting all visitors from Muslim states. Such an action by the US depicts their ignorance and lack of understanding of the Muslim world. However, we can trace such a mandate as a consequence of Sept 11.

Over time this would all seem like a witch hunt of sort but the notion of declaring Malaysia as a Muslim state shouldn't be accepted without due consideration. One wonders what MIC president S Samy Vellu, MCA president Dr Ling Liong Sik and the MCA or even Gerakan has to say about the matter.

Don't leave it to DAP to politicise the matter and if politicians in the present government have a conscience, it is high time they put a voice behind the votes that empowered their very seat in office.