In reply to the letter titled Sky Kingdom: Gov't slow to act , I would like to say that it is a most frightening and portentous letter. Clearly this letter shows what PAS thinks of the freedom to choose a religion.

There are many problems with the ideas expressed in that letter. First of all, the freedom of faith is not a Western outlook. Indeed in multi-religious Asean, the freedom of faith is a basic cardinal principle.

We do not live in Saudi Arabia of the 10th century and this brings me to a second point. Which interpretation of Islam is the writer referring to? The PAS interpretation maybe?

The Islam I know is a tolerant and progressive Islam which understands the need for a modern interpretation. An Islam which accepts the freedom of faith. And not the PAS version of Islam.

Thirdly, what constitutes deviant teachings? Are all those teachings in the Muslim world which do not agree with PAS ideology to be labelled by PAS as deviationist ? Indeed, orthodox Islam does not even accept Darwin's theory of evolution.

Does this then mean that Malay-Muslim biologists who agree with Darwin are straying from PAS' version of 'true Islam'? That Muslim scientists who question Islamic dogma are deviants?

Let me publicly state that there are many aspects of the Islam which PAS endorses but which I question and doubt. Mujahid Yusuf Rawa should stay in his turf of traditional dogma and please not venture out into the larger contemporary world that has long ago embraced modernity and the freedom of choice in faith.