I refer to the letter Common law removal will jeopardise nation .

It is most disconcerting that the chief justice can even speak of the idea of abolishing the English common law system which our country has operated under over the last 50 years. Many stupid things have been done by past leaders in the name of nationalism, for example abolishing the use of English as the medium of instruction in schools only to regret it 30 years later. A whole generation of Malaysians by now cannot even hold a decent conversation in the English language.

This latest suggestion, not by a common citizen or even a VIP politician but by the chief justice himself, brings a great deal of discomfort to me and many Malaysians. I cannot help but believe that there is an unseen hand and a hidden agenda in all this to elevate syariah law above everything else.

If Malaysia is moving towards a theocracy or even hinting of such a move as the chief justice has done, then do expect the floodgates of emigration to open; not only from the Chinese or Indian citizens alone but from the Malays as well. Be prepared for isolation from the rest of the world and for foreign investments to evaporate.

The prime minister must quickly come out of his shell and 'elegant silence' to address pressing issues like these. A statement like the one made by the chief justice is most worrying and has great repercussions.