It will be a sad day when we start making comparisons to countries like Pakistan, Sudan and Nigeria. These are countries that we rather not emulate, syariah law not withstanding.

Are Malaysians for progress or do we long to be like these countries — poor, backward and chaotic. I was in Lagos in 1975 when Nigeria was basking in its petrodollars. New elevated highways were being built but piles of garbage were left uncollected.

Today Nigeria has devolved into a lawless nation with every man for himself. Malaysians should not look to countries like these for comparison.

Since Merdeka, Malaysia has progressed far ahead of many nations and I am proud to be Malaysian though I now live in the US. Our civil system has functioned well and brought much material prosperity to is people. Why change something when it is working well?

Malaysians should develop a social economic system that can be modern and sensible and progressive without bringing religion into it.