I refer to the letter Al-Arqam: Remember that non-Muslims kept silent .

The comments made by Arbibi Ashoy that non-Muslims did not stand up for their Muslim brethren in the Al Arqam issue is not fair. Ashoy must remember that the non-Muslims can only stand up for issues that they fully comprehend. Until today, I do not think even Muslim themselves fully understand what the Al Arqam stood for not to mention the non-Muslim. All we know are from the press reports that the government of the day through their religious affairs department declared that it was a deviant movement.

It is not at all correct to compare the Falun Gong with the Al Arqam. In the People's Republic of China, they are considered a threat to the Chinese government but in Malaysia they are another peaceful movement that advocates certain types of exercises for a healthy body and mind.

The non-Muslim community fervently believes in freedom of religion and by that I mean they are free to practice their beliefs in any manner that they deem fit, provided always that their practices do not go against the law of the land. There are a few legitimate religious bodies around that the mainstream Buddhist and Christian organisations may frown upon, but so long as the former does not offend the law of the land, there is nothing they can complain about.

In Malaysia, there is an authority to decide what is the correct Islamic practice and what is not. All law-abiding citizens of the country must abide by their ruling. For a non-Muslim to support the Al Arqam cause is to run foul of the law of the land. This will not only be silly and illogical, it is outright stupid.

Until today, I am still perplexed as to what the 'Sky Kingdom' followers did to have offended the government of the day. Building gigantic tea pots, cups and saucers, may be eccentric to some but from what I have read , they did not do anything illegal. Was is it necessary for the 'Raiders of the Sky Kingdom" to act so harshly on them, just to break some tea set?

In Raimah Bibi's case, please understand that religion was never an issue at all. She is a woman who married a man for the past 21 years and has mothered seven children. Any human being with a dram of compassion can identify the pain that she is going through. It makes no difference whether she is a Muslim or not. To compare this issue with the Al Arqam one is to miss the whole point altogether.