I refer to the Malaysiakini report Disruption of 'conversion' forum a black mark.

Article 121(1)A has been a thorn in the side of our civil rights. Just ask R Subashini, S Shamala, R Anthony and M Revathy, Lina Joy or their families. These are merely five of the increasing number of similar cases where Art.121(1)A has failed.

At the forum, there were video images of people holding threateningly-worded banners: Jangan cabar Islam dan Ketuanan Melayu (Don't challenge Islam and Malay supremacy).

Some say that these group of protestors at the Bar Council forum were a minority. My question is: How come it is always this small bunch who seem to grab headlines worldwide?

How come this small bunch continue 'representing Islam' and give it an image far from the beautiful religion that spreads love, peace and respect?

Where is the bigger bunch of level-headed, peaceful, loving and respectful Muslims when Islam needs representation? Why do they not denounce and control this small bunch in their minority?

I would be truly ashamed to be tarred with the same brush by non-Muslims the world over as belonging to a community of believers which are not only ultra-sensitive to criticism, but aggressive, if not thuggish.

It is submitted that the abject fear of losing the imagined power behind this notion of Ketuanan Melayu that drove them to behave the way they did.

It is submitted that Ketuanan Melayu and Jangan Cabar Islam was the sole reason why the police did not disperse the crowd but let them carry on (and further spoil the image of this beautiful religion that spreads love, peace and respect).

It is for Ketuanan Melayu and the imagined power that it brings that BN leaders did not denounce the hooligans but blamed the forum organisers instead for provoking them.

It is because of Ketuanan Melayu and Jangan Cabar Islam that PAS and certain quarters in PKR hopped onto the bandwagon with this small bunch and behaved like thugs.

It is submitted here that until and unless the bigger bunch of level-headed, peace-loving Malay-Muslims who believe in Persamaan Rakyat Malaysia (Equality of the Malaysian People) can convince their ‘small bunch’ brethren that meritocracy and equality breeds self-respect, and therefore have nothing to be afraid of, the rest of us non-Malay-Muslims will continue to be second-class citizens forever being shouted down and threatened by our Tuan Melayu each and every time we assert our civil rights viz Art. 121(1)A.