The debate on Islamic state - and consequently, separation of state and religion- shows a deep, tectonic divide splitting Malaysians.

On one side are PAS and its supporters who view Islam as a way of life while on the other side sit most non-Muslims. In the middle are moderate Muslims who are unsure and moving back and forth. What is clear is that support for both ends of the spectrum are very significant. This difference of view to me is irreconcilable and one is bound to destroy the other if persisted.

This difference is Malaysia's Achilles heel. Such a deep divide weakens the nation and its common sense of purpose in all aspects of our lives. Mistrust due to religion is worse than mistrust stemming from politics, and mistrust because of both is the worst.

While I support the view of separation of religion and state strongly, I am inclined to think it will not be possible in Malaysia and hence continue to weaken us. As she struggles to progress, Malaysia must contend with this deep divide much like the struggle in the Middle East - it no longer is about right or wrong but about power and one-upmanship.

No matter what the outcome is, Malaysia cannot afford to sacrifice progress for this issue. It is clear that should Malaysia stop developing, the issue will only become worse and spiral downwards from there. So long as development continues, there is hope that the issue will at least be kept under the lid. Let the economy fail and the result will be disastrous.