I feel sad to read that Husin Tapa feels only Muslims should be hired as maids by Muslim families, especially if the maids have to take care of children in the family.

The "dangers" of employing non-Muslim maids which Husin enumerates are petty and insulting to non-Muslims maids: petty because he seems to think that the main threat to Islam is the supposed contamination by pork and non-halal food which he thinks will be smuggled in by the non-Muslim maid.

I feel that he should be more concerned about values such as industry, love, compassion, honesty and respect which are fundamental to Islam and all other religions; insulting because he seems to believe that non-Muslims are incapable of respecting the religious beliefs of Muslims.

I take particular exception to his statement that "most non-Muslims will not be too keen to employ a Muslim maid to look after their toddler". As a non-Muslim, let me assure him that we have absolutely no qualms about employing Muslim maids - in fact almost every one of the maids in our home has been a Muslim. Religion should not be a criterion in the selection of any employee - unless of course, it is for a specific religious function such as an imam or a priest.

Husin's views about non-Muslims seem to be blinkered; it would do us a whole lot of good if we are able to not just tolerate, but appreciate the values of the diverse religions practised in this country.