Unlike Ariff Yusof ( Keadilan's stand on hudud lauded ) who is a Muslim, I am a Buddhist. However, the difference of religious affiliation does not mean that I cannot accept and respect hudud and qisas as a moral aspiration of Muslims. My position is very clear-cut: as long as hudud and qisas only apply to Muslims and do not affect non-Muslims, I can respect and accept them.

In our multiethnic, multireligious, multicultural and multilingual society, while Malays/Muslims can and should support Chinese/Tamil education as a human right and moral aspiration of the Chinese/Indian community even though they themselves do not send their children to Chinese/Tamil schools, non-Malays/Muslims can and should reciprocate by supporting the moral aspiration of Malays/Muslims.

If PAS and Keadilan can firmly support the right of the Chinese and Indian communities to mother tongue education, why can't MCA, Gerakan and DAP support hudud and qisas, if the majority of Muslims demand the law for themselves? Aren't we (non-Muslims) being arrogant and self-centred for imposing our will on Muslims whose religion we do not fully understand?

Indeed, what is so wrong about hudud and qisas if we see the law from a more broad-minded and less intolerant perspective? At least, the hudud and qisas require open trial and witnesses, and is based on the maxim that the accused is innocent until proven otherwise in open trials and through credible witnesses/evidence. Compare them with the Internal Security Act and other arbitrary laws in Malaysia that exclude judicial reviews.

Personally, I have no worries at all about the hudud and qisas because my conscience is perfectly clear: I live a decent life devoid of alcohol, gambling and adultery. I have a happy family. Why should I fear hudud and qisas even if it applies to non-Muslims?

Of course, I am certain that hudud and qisas would not be applied to non-Muslims. Let us respect and accept each others' moral aspirations without infringing on the rights of others. By this simple principle, it also mean that non-Muslims like Chan Kai Poh ( Moderate Keadilan bared ) should also respect and accept the legitimate rights of the Muslims.

Do to others what we want others do to us. Or, do not do to others what we do not want others do to us. I hope this simple letter would wake up bigots in the non-Muslim communities.