As an expatriate who had grown up in Malaysia, I feel that it is not non-Muslims that do not wish to understand Islamic principles but rather it is the religion's exclusionist principles that prevent others from understanding Islam better. Without better understanding there will always be apprehension and insecurity.

Even though I am an agnostic, my friends of various faiths with the exception of Islam and I had often discussed about the relationship between humanity and God. The discussions have always been intellectual, objective and enlightening, but never acrimonious. As such, through these discussions, I have come to understand their faiths better.

It is undeniable that other religious states in the past had promulgated religious oppression and hegemony. Examples are many, like the Spanish Inquisition, the Crusades, the destruction of the native religions of the Incas by the Christian colonists, etc. Those were the past, in the 17th to 19th centuries. Since then, although most secular states are not perfect, most try to separate the state from religion.

However, the present proclaimed 'Islamic states' such as Afghanistan, Iran or Nigeria, do not give much security to non-Muslims. As such, it is up to the Muslim community, especially PAS, to be more open and to clarify what actually is an Islamic state and the aims instead of leaving it to non-Muslims to try to figure it out.

Muslims had to be more secure about the power of their faith and not let their insecurity make them to force others to follow them. PAS has to lead, not drive, if it were to be the leader of the next Malaysian government.

Otherwise we will just replace one despotic government with another that is of religious hegemony, which is simply another despotic government.