JANUARY 27 — Sometimes, it amazes me how scared some of us can be just to express our opinions, although I suppose it’s somewhat understandable in a country where people regularly get arrested over Facebook posts.

When it comes to race and religion, Malaysians are extra wary, preferring to avoid debate rather than tackling the issues head on.

Politicians and the powers-that-be sweep things under the carpet, warning us that talking about certain topics openly will threaten our so-called "harmony”, when it is they who pose the biggest threats by silencing dissent.

It doesn’t help, of course, that the authorities are perceived to be more heavy-handed in cases involving criticism of Islam than in attacks on issues that minority groups hold dear, like vernacular schools.

So rather than push the envelope for greater freedom of speech for everyone, we end up censoring ourselves and demand that other people be censored as well.

Except in the case of religious conservatives, who feel that they have the right to demand whatever they want and go on to exercise that right.

Liberal and progressive Malaysians who strongly disagree with conservative demands should be as loud and unabashed as the religious fundamentalists in pushing for what they feel is right.

Yet, too often, we step back. We prefer to use decorum and diplomacy, dialogue and discourse, to gently ask for what we want instead of brandishing loud placards in the faces of those who oppose us.

That’s why religious fundamentalists have been able to keep pushing and pushing their way through in their ambition to turn Malaysia into a Taliban state.

Our beloved nation is moving in that terrible direction, seemingly without any brakes, because the majority who may actually disagree are keeping quiet for whatever reason, whether it’s because of fear or because they plan to leave the country if things get too messed up.

What might have once been completely alien and unacceptable, such as denying a child medical treatment over the length of his mother’s shorts that was considered "inappropriate”, barely raises eyebrows these days.

The more these things happen, the more we get used to them until we no longer question why dress codes for the general public follow a certain religious custom that mandates women cover up till their wrists and ankles, when even typical office wear includes knee-length skirts and sleeveless tops.

If religious fundamentalists can be so brazen in their desire to drastically alter the once-moderate and laidback culture of our country, then we must be equally defiant in our demands for personal liberty and equality.

We cannot be satisfied with just holding forums in upper-class neighbourhoods — attended by the same crowds — and hope that the powers-that-be take our demands seriously.

Neither can we yield to religious fundamentalists and allow them to have a bigger voice than us, when they may actually be smaller in number.

It’s time that we stop playing nice.

We must be willing to take on the fundamentalists on their own turf and show that we’re not afraid of them. We need to stop giving way to them.

This is why all Malaysians who are opposed to PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang’s Bill to amend Act 355 should not be afraid of protesting against the Bill at a counter rally on February 18 in Padang Merbok.

For too long, we have allowed religious fundamentalists to get away with issuing all sorts of crazy and dangerous demands that will irreparably damage Malaysia’s multi-faith and multi-ethnic makeup.

We need to stand up to them. And we can’t allow other people to fight our battles for us. That’s lazy and selfish.

To quote Edmund Burke: "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing”.

* This is the personal opinion of the columnist.