Perkasa wages war against MIC

Malay rights NGO Perkasa today declared "war" against MIC, which it claimed had infringed on Muslim sensitivities.

Perkasa secretary-general Syed Hassan Syed Ali said the campaign to reject MIC will start on Friday in MIC president Dr S Subramanian's constituency of Segamat.

This follows MIC treasurer S Vell Paari's call for Indian national Islamic preacher Zakir Naik to be investigated over allegations that he is recruiting members for Islamic State (IS) in Malaysia.

Syed Hassan said MIC’s statement was also an affront to Perkasa. Zakir is an honorary member of the NGO.

"His statement which clearly states that Perkasa celebrates IS is insolent and without basis. We have lost our patience.

"It is the most heinous statement, made by the leader of an insignificant party that only won seats on the back of Malay votes...He is looking for trouble," he said at a press conference in Perkasa's headquarters in Kuala Lumpur today.

He also claimed that Vell Paari's statement makes it haram (forbidden) for Muslims to vote for MIC in the 14th general election.

"We will campaign to tell Muslims that it is haram to vote for MIC because MIC insulted Islam," he said.

He also urged Vell Paari to apologise for linking Perkasa to IS or face legal action.

Meanwhile, in a statement clarifying his position, Vell Paari said he was only going by what was stated by the Indian Judicial Tribunal.

The special tribunal set up by Delhi High Court had upheld the ban against Zakir's Islamic Research Foundation (IRF), finding that Zakir's speeches were provocative and derogatory.

The tribunal said Zakir's speeches had had an "enduring impact" and could have "inspired the attackers who struck at Dhaka's Holey Artisan Bakery in 2016", the Times of Indiareported.

It also found evidence that 24 youths who travelled from Kerala to Afghanistan to join the IS had frequented IRF's office in Mumbai, the daily reported.

"I repeat that my comments on Zakir are justified in all the circumstances of the case," Vell Paari said.

He also challenged Perkasa and Zakir to file a defamation suit against him.- Mkini