'Differing views no reason to send Zakir to BJP-led India'

Perlis mufti Asri Zainul Abidin said having differing views with preacher Zakir Naik is no reason to send him back to India.

"For your information, I too have since the start held views which differ from Zakir and his approach. I, too, have advised him of the Malaysian situation. To date, he sees it differently and that is his right.

"Yet, this is no reason for him to be accused of terrorism and to send him back to the BJP-led India," he said in a statement today.

Asri said this after coming under fire for his poem which mentioned "our preacher" as a reference to Zakir.

The poem condemns the worship of cows, the caste system and the defunct practice of widow-burning and questions if "our preacher" should be subjected to this environment.

Zakir is under investigation in India for money laundering. In Bangladesh, he has been accused of inspiring extremist believes, after one of perpetrators of the terrorist attack in Dhaka was reported to be a follower of his teachings.

In his apology to Hindus today, Asri (photo) also maintained that his poem was about India and has been "misunderstood" to be an attack on Hindus in general.

He also hits out at Hindraf, which has strongly criticised him over the poem and been vocal against Zakir's presence in Malaysia.

"To me, Hindraf is an extremist organisation which has caused strained relations between Hindus and Muslims in this country with their actions since before. Society should learn to stay away from their provocation," he said.

Seek independent information

Asri also urges non-Muslims to "not follow Hindraf's lead" and to seek independent information on whether Zakir supports violence.

"It should not just be allegations. If there are clear evidence, then I too would object (him)," he said.

Persatuan Hindraf Malaysia chairperson P Waythamoorthy was among a group of activists who filed a court application seeking to compel the government to oust Zakir from Malaysia.

Zakir told reporters in Kuala Lumpur he does not want to give his statement to Indian authorities there because they may torture him.

The preacher, who is believed to be based in Saudi Arabia, prefers to give his statement in a "neutral" place like Malaysia.

Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said there is no question of deporting Zakir, since he does not reside in Malaysia, and that the authorities will assist Indian investigations subject to a mutual legal agreement application.

Last year, police barred a comparative religion lecture by Zakir in Kuala Lumpur fearing that the lecture to compare Hinduism and Islam would spark inter-religious strife.- Mkini