What we need is to overhaul the way Islam is taught and understood. Our aim is to bring out the best in the religion so Muslims may use it to bring good to the modern world.

The vision of sharing the nation equitably amongst all ethnic groups remains valid and more critical than ever today.

We don’t need studies to tell us that being a multi-ethnic society makes us brighter, more creative and more likely to come up with the right answers. We know it because we are now living it.

It is time to build our knowledge in the complex and rich Islamic legal theory if we want to build a more just society.

Malaysia used to have one of the most progressive Muslim family laws in the world but by 2003, we are right there at the bottom, thanks to amendments to the law which discriminated women.

What the rally really showed was this. Malaysians of all races can gather in one place in huge numbers for a single cause – in peace.

As issue and more issues made the headlines, will there be an implosion of all the things that Malaysia had built over the years?

THE Education Minister recently expressed shock at the poor performance of Malaysian students in the PISA 2012 survey of over 500,000 15-year-olds in 64 countries on their levels of knowledge and skills in reading, mathematics, science and problem solving.

In the end, it is really about the values, ethics and principles you want to live by that will guide you.

A Syariah Index funded by taxpayers’ money remains unused and unknown to the public while a new study has been launched.

A new sense of hope has been ignited by the letter from 25 prominent Malay establishment figures urging the Prime Minister to take action to bring clarity and vision to end the unresolved disputes on the position and application of Islamic laws in this country.

The recent Umno general assembly was really déjà vu in content and tone.