I am Chinese with no personal religious affiliation but my birth and marriage certificate state that I am Buddhist, simply out of official administrative purposes imposed by the state. In fact, I bear no personal resentment or conviction towards any religion because I sincerely believe that all religions preach the same principles of love, tolerance, compassion and goodness.

I took the liberty to learn about different religions and if you know me, you would never once hear me criticise any religion. But I do, however, criticise how men have used religion for their own advantages and to manipulate people.

After reading the ordeals and coercion faced by so many Malaysian citizens who claimed their right to freedom of religion, I am repelled by the way Islam is being practiced in Malaysia. When I was younger, my mother used to caution me on marrying a Muslim man. I used to argue with her about the principle of non-discrimination and that love prevails above all. However, as I am older and hopefully wiser now, I understand what she meant and thank her for doing me a huge favour.

I have a confession to make. At one point, I was so fascinated with Islam that I embraced the religion but only to myself and those who are close to me. Luckily at that time, I had wised up enough to understand the implications of declaring my religion officially in Malaysia.

I firmly believe that religion is a personal matter which is very much like a conscience. It is within you and nobody else, not even the state should have any business in it. I am glad to know now that I have done the right thing and frankly, I do not care at all what anybody will say. It is none of your business, anyway.

So I would say that instead of attracting people to Islam, what Malaysia is doing is the opposite. If anybody comes to me and tells me that he or she wants to be a Muslim, my advice would be this - it is enough to be true to yourself and Allah as a Muslim and nobody else. Your belief is between yourself and God. For me, Islam should be about tolerance, respect and compassion, not harassment, coercion and abuse.

If the state thinks that by harassing, coercing and abusing these people who choose to practice what they believe in instead of being hypocrites, they can think twice about doing good for Islam because frankly, it repels me and, I am sure, many others.

I am working in Ethiopia now, a predominantly Christian Orthodox country. I have fellow Muslim Ethiopians who are working with me. Sometimes they are not treated as well as they should be because of their religion due to personal prejudices. This angers me because at the end of the day, I see all of us as fellow human beings and not as Muslims, Christians, Jews or Buddhists.

Just imagine if you, as a Muslim Malaysian, are treated as sub-human, how would you feel? So please try to have compassion for others who may not share your beliefs. They are still human beings after all. The state is supposed to protect the rights of its citizen and not to abuse them for its own benefit. After all, what other motive do you have by forcing Muslims to remain Muslims if not only to gain more power and control over the majority of the people?

I remain anonymous in this letter not because I am a coward, but it is enough for me to know who I am and of course Allah, if He should punish me for saying anything sacrilegious.