I fully subscribe to Malaysian Lover's view in PAS' hudud laws will mangle nation that something must be done about the hudud (Islamic penal code) law implementation.

The Umno-led government must do more to put its foot down on the enactment of PAS' hudud law. As a medical officer, I would like to think that letting Terengganu get away with its whims and fancies is like letting a festering ulcer on a diabetic foot go untreated .

If the head (federal government) cannot control the foot (state government) then soon the whole body will suffer as a result of the diabetic foot (septicemia). Therefore, as a doctor, I regard this illness as a medical emergency that requires drastic measures. Bitter medicine is a must here, lest Malaysia becomes the sick man of Southeast Asia.

Kudos to outgoing Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad for doing a fine job although it was not plain sailing all the time. Being a medical man, he knows what is required to remedy the situation. I hope his successor and deputy premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi will inherit some of his medical acumen.

As a visionary, Dr Mahathir knew what had be done to rescue the country. Quite recently, it is about the Malays and their subsidy attitude and the English language issue. He foresaw the problem and instituted bitter medicine for the good of the body (nation).

Knowing what lies ahead in a globalised world, this move is drastic but nevertheless needed to prevent us from being colonised economically by superpowers. With the emergence of China, we risk being pulled into the economic black hole if nothing is done now.

PAS in its endeavor to win more support from the Malays had decided to go for broke. If you can't beat them, at least be more holier than them (Umno) seem to be their rallying call. The hudud law is a definite step backward.

With due respect to Islam and my fellow Malaysian Muslims, I think the hudud law belongs to a bygone era and circumstances. I do not want to go into the merits or demerits of it which is well known by now but a little wisdom is required here.

Ever wonder why the world in general views Islam and its extremist practices in such a negative light (not withstanding the Sept 11 terror attacks on the US)?