But in Malaysia this is the heightened season of racism and religious fervor. Going by the actions, reactions, statements and positions taken by the leaders within the UMNO barracks, one can be forgiven for believing that this is the very season to talk, think and act in a racist manner spiked with generous doses of religious fervor – given the soon to held UMNO general assembly and elections.

The pitch is obviously building up at to a feverish pace with the latest grand slam coming from the former Prime Minister of 22 years. Going by the several UMNO leaders’ claims and public statements, it gives one the impression that all Malays in the country are UMNO members and that if UMNO thinks Malays are being threatened by non-Malays, it also represents what all Malays and muslims here in Malaysia think and feel.

The perception being crafted in the minds and hearts of the Malays is, without UMNO the Malays are at great threat and risk of losing out completely to the Chinese and Indians in Malaysia. And to add pungency to the concoction, religion is also thrown into the propaganda being minted by UMNO. Now it seems that both the Malays and Islam are also under threat by non-Malays and non-muslims.

The question is: Are all Malays in this nation, UMNO members, UMNO supporters and UMNO sympathisers? Are there no Malays in the opposition political parties? Are all Muslims suspicious of all non-Muslims? Or, are all non-Muslims against the Muslims in this land? And if UMNO is for all Malays and for all Malay muslims, what on earth is PAS there for? Are the PAS leaders and followers not Malays and believers of Islam? Is Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim not Malay and a Muslim? Are the Malays within DAP murtads?

While UMNO seems to rile up the citizens of Malaysia along race and religion cards and drum rumors of a pending attack on Malay-muslim rights, privileges and what have you, perhaps it is about time then that the Malays who are not with UMNO stand up and be counted. It is about time that the world came to know in a definitive manner that there are Malaysian Malay-muslims who do not subscribe to the UMNO-styled mantras of divisiveness, suspiciousness and alienation of people.

It is about time that all the Malays and muslims who believe in the sanctity of humanity stood out and stood tall in the face of this UMNO war mongering. It is about time that the Malays and muslims who did not subscribe to the UMNO prescription nor consumed UMNO-Baru’s concotion, convened and made their presence heard and felt right into the camp of the UMNO warlords.

As time and tide waits for no man, it is about time that all the Malaysian Malays and muslims owed up collectively irrespective of whether they are civil servants, in opposition political parties, professional bodies, private sector or even if they were politically neutered.

This owing up and standing up for the principles of humanity beyond race and religion parameters or what we can proudly term as Malaysia's Defining Moment of Truth, is vital if the nation wants to start its walk into the future without the aid of political party-survival tactics and socio-economic crutches.

The question is will Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim lead the Malay Muslims in the wake of the UMNO hype that seems to give the impression that all the Malay muslims in this country are all the way in total agreement with the UMNO mantra of political survival. Such a show will put an end to all the race and religious dichotomies that seems to grip the nation in a kind of socio-economic and socio-political paralysis.