Few days ago, I chatted with Rajan Seri MENJadi-jadi, and this flee habitually turn our conversation into a brainwashing segment.

As usual, I would defend my stand, that is, equality for all regardless of ethnicity or faith, a state where the government does not ill-treat anybody. As expected, he advocates a system where a particular religion, not yours, not mine but his, is above everyone else. In his words, “There must be someone to dominate.”

He still cannot differentiate treating all faith communities equally from rejecting faiths altogether. He claimed that a secular system (any system that’s not dominated by his religion) is doomed to fail.

He also questioned why Christian laws (what he labelled as Christian Hudud :-) ) can be enforced in Vatican and nobody is complaining, but when Muslims want to implement Islamic laws, people around the world make noise.

When I pointed to him that people are not opposing Islam per se, but rather, the elements of torture within Hudud, just like they too oppose to death penalty and caning of our British common law, he vomited his shit of the day, “Hudud is not torture.”

For centuries, Christians have fought the clerics, and finally, separation of church and state was confirmed, on which modern states were found. But that does not make them infidels. Nobody in his sound mind will claim those who disagree or don’t submit to Pope are anti-Christian.

Everyone’s freedom to practise the religion of their choice freely is enshrined under United Nation’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights, no matter you are Muslim, Hindu, Sikh or Tibetan Buddhist, together with other rights, for instance, freedom of speech, gender equality, aboriginal rights etc. UN has rightly described it as “All human rights for all”. Yet, these bigots don’t get the idea. They affirm their rights while depriving us the same rights.

Now if we question Umno’s policies, at most we are dissidents who care to exercise our freedom of speech. But if Pas rules and if one still wants to question its policies (as Amir Muhammad said, he would equally ask a great amount of questions if Pas rules), we will instead be called a kafir, our questions blasphemy and our action an insult to God.

In National Congress 2005, Keadilan leaders have pledged that Malaysia would become a signatory to all agreements and conventions sanctioned under UN Universal Declaration on Human Rights once we are voted into power. It is logical since Keadilan strives for justice and equality for all. On the other hand, Pas wants to censor even Akademi Fantasia, while capitalising on the popularity of Mawi for its own survival.

Politicians should listen to the people, not the other way round. Political parties must double-check whether their proposed policies are popular among the voters. Yes, extremism still has its market in a country where people are easily misled, but to alienate the majority in order to cling on to a niche, and in the end wipes oneself into the corner, is unwise, if not fatal. And why should we be your collateral due to your plain stupidity ?