KUALA LUMPUR: The government has no intention of barring two popular Muslim preachers from giving talks in Malaysia as it has found nothing wrong with their speeches, Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said today.
Zahid, who is also home minister, said there were no problems with the talks given by Malaysian Haslin Baharim and grand mufti of Zimbabwe Ismail Menk.
“During their time in Malaysia, they did not say anything that caused racial conflict or tension in our society,” he told reporters after officiating an event here today.
Zahid had been asked to comment on Singapore’s decision to bar the duo from speaking in the city-state.
In a statement yesterday, Singapore’s ministry of home affairs said it had rejected the preachers’ application for a miscellaneous work pass to speak there.
Both were scheduled to participate in a religiously-themed cruise from the island republic next month.
The statement said Ismail had been known to preach segregationist and divisive teachings, citing as an example his claim that it was a sin and a crime for a Muslim to wish a non-Muslim “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Deepavali”.
Haslin, meanwhile, is alleged to have expressed views that promote disharmony between Muslims and non-Muslims, whom he is said to have described as “deviant”.
Earlier today, FMT reported that the government had yet to decide if it will follow in Singapore’s footsteps and bar the two preachers from speaking in the country.
Deputy Home Minister Nur Jazlan Mohamed said his ministry would refer the matter to the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) first.
“We will refer to Jakim for guidance,” he said when contacted. -FMT
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