This council should have representatives from various religious communities and other relevant parties.

It is our conviction that this consultative council will provide a platform to leaders to deliberate on religious issues and suggest remedies.

Through such communication and interaction will emerge the solutions that will accommodate the interests and aspirations of the diverse communities.

Any particular religion and its details should be left to scholars of that religion and its followers to deliberate on and decide on matters related to the faith.

However, there has to be a platform for representatives from various religious communities to deliberate on and seek remedies for problems and issues that sometimes arise out of interactions of people of different faiths.

In a multiracial and a multi-religious country such as Malaysia, where we interact with each other on a daily basis, there are bound to be instances where issues or even misunderstandings arise.

Through discussion and deliberations, we can continue to help people respect the diversity among us and continue to cultivate mutual respect.

We believe that Malaysians, on the whole, have come a long way in safeguarding racial and religious harmony in the country, and setting up this consultative council will further enhance the bond between the different communities.

N.S. RAJENDRAN, President Malaysian Hindudharma Mamandram

This editorial appeared in the New Straits Times on January 20, 2010.