KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia does not condone extremism and Dr Zakir Naik’s teaching on Islam is not a reflection of the true Malaysia, deputy minister in the Prime Minister’s Department SK Devamany said yesterday.
“We don’t agree with extremism. Whoever speaks and destroys the fabric of pluralism and beauty of nationalism will have to be out of our country,” he said in response to a question on Indian fugitive Zakir Naik, at the Persons of Indian Origin Parliamentarian Conference in New Delhi yesterday.
“Their Islam is not as is seen in our country. I am a Hindu so I don’t want to comment on that because interpretations can be different. But we do not condone any form of extremism or people who want to break the beauty of Malaysian diversity and harmony.”
On Dr Zakir’s status in Malaysia, Devamany said the country has yet to clarify the situation.
“In Zakir Naik’s context, we don’t know if the citizenship is through yet. But as far as we are concerned, nobody can come from outside and tell us what to do and how to practice our religion. We are united in harmony,” he said.
On January 3, Perkasa president Datuk Ibrahim Ali and some other Dr Zakir supporters had called for the dismissal of a lawsuit that would disqualify his permanent residency(PR) status as he was not party to the court case.
On November 8 last year, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the controversial televangelist would be sent back to India if its government requested that he be extradited.
He added that Malaysia would not revoke Dr Zakir’s PR status as he had not violated any laws in Malaysia.
– Malay Mail
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