The irrational protest against a cross outside a church in Taman Medan could be rooted in religious authorities' overzealous interpretation of Islam, which has a knock-on effect on ordinary Muslims.

Of late, authorities like the Islamic Development Department (Jakim) and some state religious authorities are turning to the right.

This causes not only ordinary Muslims to veer towards the similar direction of radicalism and orthodoxy, but also results in anxiety among non-Muslims who then retreat further into their communal comfort zones.

In a plural society, this causes division and strife.

The latest example is Jakim's fatwa on concerts, which among others include gender-segregation, banning any symbols that are against Islamic teachings and forbidding "excessive laughter".

There are a lot of practical constraints to these proposals, including being separated from family members during concerts, such as an uncle and a young niece.

Granted, a religious edict or fatwa is not binding on non-Muslims nor legally enforceable as general laws outside the sole percepts of Islam, but its pronouncement can nonetheless have a far-reaching effect in every strata of society - whether among bureaucrats who issue permits to concerts, to ordinary Muslims who may overreact to symbols of other religions.

This does not help in fostering an inclusive society which the prime minister has advocated. In fact, it undermines the multiculturalism which is part of our social fabric since Independence.

The protest in Taman Medan was wholly unnecessary and was yet another sign of growing intolerance sowed by religious dogma.

In Kuala Lumpur, Malacca, Penang, Johor Bahru, you can find places of worship of different religions side-by-side or very near each other. The same goes for Jerusalem. Devotees go about performing their rituals there with no problem, for centuries.

If the church in Taman Medan had flouted some by-laws, then the local authorities should act swiftly.

If it involves a state policy or security issues on places of worship, it must be addressed accordingly.

Otherwise, the Jakim and the respective state religious authorities nationwide should spend their resources on educating the public about values like compassion, peace and moderation that form the cornerstones of Islam.

Worse, such unbecoming conducts, if uncensured, contravene the fundamental rights of non-Muslims as enshrined in our federal constitution.

It doesn’t augur well for the Islamic faith with radical Muslims conducting street protest over a religious symbol of a place of worship.