IGP lauded for stopping Zakir’s talk

MIC Youth calls for preacher to be banned from entering Malaysia. 

PETALING JAYA: MIC Youth has lauded the police’s directive to stop preacher Dr Zakir Naik from speaking at a forum and wants the government to ban him from entering the country.

In a statement, the wing’s chief, C Sivarraajh,  praised Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar for the directive and hoped such events would be avoided in the future as it created racial disharmony.

Sivarraajh also called on the Home Ministry to impose a entry ban on the preacher to prevent him from giving any speech.

“Stopping his speeches will not be sufficient. As we know, this preacher has been banned in the UK and Canada, we hope Malaysia will follow the precedent set by them.”

Sivarraajh also claimed it was widely known that Zakir was an al-Qaeda supporter and the latter’s presence in Malaysia was unwanted as it could be detrimental to the country’s multiracial society.

Meanwhile, myPPP Assistant Secretary-General Simon Sabapathy lauded the IGP’s quick action on the matter.

He said no person should put down another religion as it could create unrest within society.

He told FMT that this rule should be applied across the board, regardless of the extremist preacher’s religion.

“Everyone has the freedom of choice to practise their own religion, but it is wrong to belittle another person’s religion.”

Earlier today, it was reported that Khalid announced that the police had disallowed a forum titled “Similarities Between Hinduism and Islam”, scheduled for April 17 at Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka.

Khalid said such forums would not benefit a multiracial society like Malaysia.

“In talks such as these, one tends to belittle another’s religion. I, therefore, advise the organisers to call off the lecture,” he said, adding police would contact the organiser and order them to cancel the forum.