I refer to the Malaysiakini report Bar Council's forum: More shelling for police, protesters.

In light of the controversy surrounding the Bar Council's forum, I have some questions for Zulkifli Nordin of PKR and Salehudin Ayob of PAS:

1. If one of the ways to resolve this issue is for the government to re-examine and straighten out the confusions between the exact roles of the syariah and civil courts, are you willing to put the same amount of pressure/protest on the government (be it the BN or the PR), as you did with the Bar Council to force them to deal with this issue?

2. If you felt that the Bar Council was threatening to undermine everything that has already been established in this matter, and that the Bar Council has not the right credibility to discuss the matter, are you then willing to take up the responsibility to organise and conduct your own forums, road shows and lectures where their views on this matter will be explained? How much space will be given to such events under the new PR government?

3. Some have argued that it is pointless to be part of the forum because the majority of the audience and speakers were non-Muslims, and therefore the Muslim participants will not be able to defend Islam, and that no matter what happens, Islam will always end up being on the losing side due to the overwhelming presence of non-Muslims at the forum.

But then again, what is the point of preaching the issue to the converted (no pun intended)? Whoever said that discussing such matters will be a walk in the park? Are we, as Muslims, going to back down simply because we think that it will be too hard or that our efforts will be futile?

Do our efforts count for nothing in the eyes of God, even if we didn't manage to reach our aims? Do we stop trying simply because it is ‘too hard’?

4. How can you be certain that at any such forum it will be one where ‘Islam-bashing’ will take place? Do you have access to information in advance on what will be discussed during these forums?

Did you talk to any of the organisers or speakers of the forum beforehand? Did you receive any secret intelligence a few days before saying that the forum will be used to ‘bash Islam’?

In short, how did you come to the conclusion that this forum will be used to ‘bash Islam’? Was it based on any hard evidence or simply fueled by prejudice, paranoia or fear?

Note that the forum hadn't even proceeded very far when one of you made that accusation, and you didn't even attend the forum!

I find it surprising that no one from the government, the opposition, the media or even one of the ulama have thought of asking them that question.