Turkey fights to remain secular. What about us? An interesting development is taking place in Turkey whereby millions of ordinary Turks are going into the streets to demand that the parliament choose a president with no Islamist ties. The all-powerful army has also sent out a stern warning that any move to dismantle the strong secular traditions of the country in order to "islamicise" the nation will be dealt with strongly.

With the rise of Islamicists demanding that secular governments be dismantled, from Egypt to Indonesia, Turkey remains a bulwark against this rising trend. That many Turks are suspicious about the possible presidential candidate Abdullah Gul because his wife wears the head scarf is striking. The mere suspicion that Turkey's secular way of life is under threat was enough to arouse so much passion amongst the citizens who obviously have great love and concern about their country. As it is, many turks also remain concerned about Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan who is said to be more Islamic-minded.

In Malaysia, efforts to further break down secular government continue unabatedly with barely a squeak from the people. It is as if a vacuum has replaced reason and logic, as the Constitution continue to be under assault by certain quarters. Everyone keeps quiet and ignores key developments that could change Malaysia irrevocably and perhaps for the worse. It is passion, the kind shown by the turks, which will help save Malaysia. Unfortunately, this remains in short supply in this new Malaysia that certain politicians are determined to fashion, ignoring the actual complex realities on the ground.  ¶ 3:34 PM