Many things have happened recently. Our blessed country is certainly going into a state of flux in a very big way. In such a situation, I stick to my favourite subject - the archaic Malay thinking facility.

This short letter expresses my reaction to the anti-Article 11 protestors that is well within my chosen sphere, as follows:

On March 17, malaysiakini was kind enough to publish my article A Different Rukunegara . When I read about the demonstrators who protested against the Article 11 public forum in Penang and very recently in Johor Baru, I am reminded of it.

The protestors serve as my perfect example of the message I wished to highlight in this letter.

To recollect the protestors were without question the adherents of the principles of the Rukunegara, viz:

  • Belief in God.

  • Loyalty to King and country.

  • Supremacy of the Constitution.

  • The rule of law.

  • Mutual respect and good social behaviour.

    • But their understanding and application of this national philosophy seem to be the following, unless I am grossly wrong:

    • Belief in Allah.

  • Loyalty to agama, bangsa dan negara (religion, race and country)

  • Supremacy of Islam.

  • The rule of syariah law.

  • Mutual respect and good social behaviour within the ummah.

    • Their pattern of behaviour certainly indicates these differences. That they demonstrated and protested in the manner they did, furthermore revealed their inner thinking and motives.

    They are not of minor nature either. In fact, the divergence of the original Rukunegara to that applied and practiced by the adherents is so great that I had referred it as 'the Alternative Rukunegara'.

    I am confused by the very existence of these parallel Rukunegara and Alternative Rukunegara. To my mind, they compete against one another. In the event, they produce conditions of confusion, contradiction and conflict. Surely, this is not a healthy situation for a national philosophy especially originally designed to unite the people.

    I would be very much obliged therefore if the ulama can come forward and explain this contradiction for which I would be truly grateful.