In reply to the letter, Give Syariah a chance. I'm a non-Muslim. Therefore,Syariah law does not apply to me and strictly speaking I should have no interest in it.

However, the way in which it is being applied raises my concern. I do not particularly like alcohol and do not usually drink beer or any other alcohol for pleasure or even socially, although I like drinks like shandy.

Therefore, the ban on the sale of beer or alcoholic beverages will not affect me very much, just like the application of any other Syariah law.

What concerns me is not the application of Syariah law on Muslims. If it calls for thieves to have their hands chopped off, so be it.

If there are Muslims who are opposed to it, let them sort it out with other Muslims who believe in it.

That is of no concern to me as a non-Muslim. What concerns me is when the application of Syariah law interferes with the rights of non-Muslims.

Today there is a call for the ban on the sale of beer in certain areas even though the sale of beer is legal. Today it is the ban on the sale of beer.

Will tomorrow see the ban on the sale of pork which is already happening in places like Shah Alam? Is this not in violation of the civil laws of the land?

This is what I'm afraid of. It seems to me that whenever there is a difference between Civil and Syariah laws, Syariah law takes precedence over Civil law.

I suspect that when non-Muslims ask for a revocation of Syariah law, they are not busybodies.

They probably fear the corrosion of their rights guaranteed under Civil law. I'm one non-Muslim who has this fear.