Hindraf: We don’t condone criminal intimidation of Perlis mufti

Hindraf chairman P Waythamoorthy urges all Hindus to exercise restraint and patience.

PETALING JAYA: The Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) has distanced itself from the man arrested for criminal intimidation of Perlis mufti Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin on a Facebook page.

This follows a Bernama report which stated that the post was the result of dissatisfaction over Asri’s expressed support for controversial Muslim preacher Zakir Naik, from India.

Hindraf chairman P Waythamoorthy said Hindraf had been very clear that it does not condone criminal acts against anyone and this included the Perlis mufti.

“A man is innocent until proven guilty but if this person has done what the police say he has done, then it is wrong,” he told FMT.

“I do not condone any form of an ‘eye for an eye’. Just because the Perlis mufti may have said some bad things, it doesn’t mean other people should say wrong things back.”

Although the Bernama report did not identify the man’s race or religion, Waythamoorthy has urged all Hindus to exercise restraint and patience.

“I urge all Hindus to be calm and refrain themselves from putting up any unnecessary postings while the police are handling the issue.

“Both the issues of Zakir Naik and the Perlis mufti have caused a lot of uneasiness and ill-feelings among communities of all faiths in Malaysia but we (Hindraf) are handling the issue in a very professional manner.”

Hindraf has been a vocal critic of both Naik and Asri. -FMT