The condescending views expressed in Husin Tapa's letter were insulting and the imagery conjured, which included ridiculous suggestions of non-Muslim maids gleefully stuffing children under their care full of pork, was simply outrageous.

Despite exhibiting such great concern, he manages to completely sidestep the problem at hand. The issue raised by Egalitarian Malay touches on the boundaries of government authority. On what basis could the authorities have placed such a restriction?

If, as Husin Tapa suggests, the intent of the authorities is to ensure that children of Muslim parents are raised with Muslim values, then clearly the authorities are confused as to what their collective role in society is. This task is the responsibility of Muslim parents. By placing such a restriction, the authorities are curtailing the right of Muslims to choose and have usurped the responsibility of Muslim parents.

At the end of the day, as Egalitarian Malay succinctly puts it: "It is our prerogative who we invite into our home."

Where does this supercilious attitude end? When will people be allowed to take responsibility for their own decisions? Applying this situation to a wider context, when will our authorities realise that it is wholly inappropriate for the state to discriminate against people based on faith?

Perhaps next the authorities will decide who Muslims can or cannot marry? On second thought, they already do.