I refer to Arbibi Ashoy's letter on Hamas' victory entitled Islamic alternative vs oppressive laws .

Hamas' victory was a protest vote to Fatah just like Umno lost votes to PAS during the last election. The vote for Hamas is a test case for democracy in Palestine. Let us see if Hamas will willingly pass on their power if they are voted out.

As for Islamic alternatives in government, we have already seen the Khomenies and the Talibans. Once in power, it will be very difficult to get them out. They claim to represent the Almighty, but are scared to face the popular vote of the people.

Muslims get taken in by the mullahs and imams and think Islamic rule will solve all the world's ills. The fact is that only man can change the destiny of this world through his own ingenuity and creativity.

Five hundred years ago, Copernicus had to wait just before he died to announce that the world was not the centre of the universe. But there are people in this world today who will refute this claim on the advice of religious scholars.

What guarantee is there that once the clergy is voted in, there will be freedom speech and the abolishment of the ISA? PAS has not mentioned this. The Khomenies still control Iran without freedom of speech, and Saudi Arabia does not even grant its women freedom of movement.

And in response to Abdar Rahman Koya , I truly believe that you should not blame a particular group of people or race for some tragedy. If your hatred for the Jewish people is due to religion, there is nothing in any holy book calling for the termination of any race in this world.

In fact, you should grateful to the Jewish people for allowing you to make a living out of publishing a book that promotes racial hatred.