Apparently they have been encouraged to do so by some local ngos.

Here I would like to just briefly comment on this part of the writer's message.

"We Chinese also have to question if retaining vernacular schools and being unable to speak the national language (for some of the older generation) is a hindrance to knowing our neighbours from other races and, as a result, affects national unity."

This oft use statement that vernacular school ( in one form or another ) is an impediment to national unity; is not just untrue and simplistic; but also misleading in its implications. Misleading in the sense that it implies that these vernacukar school only teaches in either Mandarin or Tamil, which is of course an outright untruth if not an outright and intentional lie. Lets also not conveniently forget that in the main, vernacular schools is only up to the primary level or 6 years of primary education. To say that language in the Malaysia of today is any barrier to unity or as the writer say is "a hindrance to knowing our neighbours from other races and, as a result, affects national unity." is actually an intellectual insult to any thinking Malaysian, if not at least to the writer herself.

Would the writer also say that her english education has been a mistake of her parents and that she is unable to commuincate with her non english educated neighbours and that her education has been a hindrance to national unity? Or does she feel that been educated in english is alright but not the mother tongues of a significant minority of the people of Malaysia?

We do not need to get too far to dispel the notion that a single language is indispensable in forging the loyalty and unity of a country. Just step next door to Indonesia to learn any lesson if one need such. As a "banana" myself, this constant arguement that vernacular education should be dropped for national unity to have any chance of happening is just simply untrue, say put it mildly. Let not me even start on the benefits of a multi-lingual societry.

With the kind of mentality so well expressed by Isma here, you find all the reasons for the unease of the non Malays, not just the Chinese.

All that can be wrong is wrong when these people can be arrested for protesting the way they did. Peacefully, as there is no report of any violence involved.

Islamophobia is a very badly abused word to deflect valid criticisms against certain aspects of the religion.

With all these infighting, can't blame those who decided to become atheist instead. That would greatly contribute to world peace.

On this subject, I am in full agreement with the author. Religion should be a subject best left to the privacy of an individual. Countries that have religion too interwoven with politics and governance is a mixture waiting to ignite and explode. And sadly for Malaysia, it is moving in the direction of eventual disaster.

I think we are looking more and more silly by making mountains out of molehills. Just because some hot blooded male got a little cheeky, we have this ridiculous outburst of dismay, anger, angst and the like. The real mistake is that the guy is stupid enough to post it on social media.

It is say that the courts still see fit to accommodate the case/charge against Siti. By any account, in my view, it should be a buang case.

Could this be a celebration too soon? Unless those very revised clauses by Mahathir are expunged from the FC, it is premature to celebrate.