In the past, the local press used to quote verbatim from Reuters, AFP and CNN (mainstream western media) on anything Islamic, be it fundamentalists, associating them with terrorism and anything violent.

We always hear of Islam being associated with terrorism when it is clear that the people of the land were merely defending themselves.

Too bad if the subject of reporting were Muslims and/or coincidentally if they had oil in the ground; most of the so-called tactical wars are actually fought over petroleum resources and a 'terrorist' label on the community makes it easier for the politicians, whether Russian or American, to send in the military and 'sort things out'.

We have had years of propaganda from the West on this subject especially since the so-called end of the Cold War. Even the DAP and their big-brother PAP in Singapore can be forgiven for their anti-Islam rhetoric.

But it is getting to be too much that local politicians, police and newspapers to use the same Islam-bashing tactic for their own purposes. It is about time Umno, Bernama , the Home Ministry and Special Branch become more 'intelligent' or they will continue to shoot themselves in the foot and certainly seal their political bosses' fate in the next election.