LETTER | It is being reported that PAS is raising the religion-race threat in the wake of the pronouncements of new appointees in the judiciary.

This religious extremism must stop immediately because the 14th general elections outcome reflects a mandate given by citizens of this country - Malays, Chinese, Indians, and including the Sabah and Sarawak ethnic communities of various religious faiths - to neutralize the toxic potions of the old regime that had kept Malaysians apart from becoming a one nation of people.

According to media reports, “PAS information chief Nasrudin Hassan claimed a series of appointments made by the Pakatan Harapan government in relation to the country's legal system has sparked restlessness among Muslims”. He was referring to the appointment of senior judge Richard Malanjum as chief justice, Liew Vui Keong as de facto law minister and Tommy Thomas as the attorney-general.

And to add alarm, he went on to state that “restlessness (‘keresahan’) among Muslims” was in place.

Just what does he mean by this? Is he trying to agitate Malaysians, inject fear, and rouse a rebellion in the making?

It is very clear that this politician is all out to rig the hard-earned progress and stability won by citizens. His troubling question comparing the current situation to one of “where Muslims escape(d) the mouth of the tiger only to be attacked by a crocodile?” is suffice to press charges against such leaders.

We cannot go on tolerating people who flash the race and religion card anymore in a nation that is woven in a multicultural, multireligious and multiracial make-up of 31 million people.

We cannot even close an eye in the wake of the long-fought bloodless, democratic battle to set the nation right on the middle path to progress, development and prosperity that must be shared by all citizens.

The Pakatan Harapan government must send a loud and decisive message to all politicians that using the race and religion flag to marshal power into their camps is a definite no-go today. Such extremists in our midst must be hauled up by the law-keepers.

Failing to take appropriate action on individuals and political party spokespersons or even religious leaders will ignite more fires especially in a climate when we have yet to cross the first hundred days since shedding the old regime led by Umno.

Given the current deep gorges into which BN has sunk into owing to its own outdated race and religion mantras, PAS - in trying to spike up the landscape by instilling unfounded fears, particularly in the hearts of our village folks - must be stopped in its tracks.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.