I refer to the Malaysiakni report Christians have 'ulterior motive', says PKR's Zulkifli .

Zul, I hope you are reading Malaysiakini and will respond to the following:

1. Sabah and Sarawak have been using the word ‘Allah’ for 400 years and when they became part of the federation in 1963 ie, 47 years ago, you should have protested then, but instead you chose to keep quiet.

2. When the Herald started its publication in 1995, the annual permit was issued via proper channels. The officer at the home ministry must have vetted each copy of the magazine before approving the permit for the following year. You should have protested then but you chose to keep quiet.

3. Dr Mahathir Mohamad gave the green light for use of the word in 1986 but with restricted conditions. You should have protested then but you chose to keep quiet.

4. Abdullah Ahmad Badawi during his tenure as prime minister gave similar consent in 2003 or thereabouts and it was all over the news. You should have protested then but you chose to keep quiet.

5. You received the Christian booklet in 2000 and for 10 years you did nothing when you should have reported the incident to the authorities against the church for proselyting amongst the Muslims. As a lawyer, you must surely be aware of such laws protecting Muslims of the land. You kept quiet all this while.

Now, because of Umno who created the brouhaha in the first place, you decided to ride piggyback on them to make yourself look like a hero in front of fellow Muslims. You are an opportunist and this is most despicable.

In fact, it is totally negligent on your part as well for not taking the necessary actions in the first place. So the big question is, ‘why now’?

I find it rather intriguing that whenever people like you voice your objections on this issue, one of the reasons is that the Muslims will get ‘confused’. This term is so overused that it has become a clich é . The word ‘Allah’ has been used in worship by the Christians in Sabah and Sarawak for 400 years.

I don't find the Muslims in that part of the world ‘confused’. In fact, they have never even given it a thought. So are we saying that the Muslims in East Malaysia are much emotionally-secure than their fellow Muslims in Semenanjung?

One Christian booklet and you stereotype and demonise all Christians. If the Catholic Church had wanted to proselytise its faith to the Muslims, they could have done it at all the missionary and convent schools because there lay before them a 'captive' market. Our prime minister, Najib Abdul Razak, was educated at St John's Institution while our former minister, Rafidah Aziz, under the watchful eyes of the Mother Superior and her nuns at the Bukit Nanas Convent.

Were there any efforts made to convert them? Did they leave their respective schools later looking ‘confused’? Today, these two and many other Muslim leaders who studied in missionary and convent schools remain devout Muslims. So what is your beef anyway?

So if you want to blame anyone for the present crisis, blame the following, but leave the Church out of it.

1. The former Alliance Party for inviting Sabah and Sarawak into the federation.

2. The home ministry officer for approving the permit year after year.

3. Mahathir for giving the go ahead in 1986 (but with restricted conditions)

4. Our former premier, Abdullah Badawi, for extending the same gesture.

5. The Middle Eastern countries for allowing the word to be used by the Jews and Christians thus setting a precedent; and

6. Finally, YOU for failing on your part to act on the above issues raised.

The Church should, by all accounts, be absolved from all blame as it was merely carrying on a tradition that has been in place for 400 years. However, if you are still adamant that they should not use the word, go to Sabah and Sarawak and have the guts to tell them that in their face instead of making all the unnecessary noise from the comfort of your home turf.