BOMBSHELL – ZAKIR NAIK GOES ON RAMPAGE: MAHATHIR NOW IN PRECARIOUS POSITION BUT NO ONE TO BLAME BUT HIMSELF FOR PANDERING TO RADICAL QUARTERS IN HIS OWN BERSATU PARTY, UMNO & PAS OVER A FUGITIVE WHO PREACHES – ‘EVERY MUSLIM SHOULD BE A TERRORIST…THE QURAN SAYS YOU CAN HAVE SEX WITH YOUR WIFE & WITH WHATEVER YOUR RIGHT HAND POSSESSES’

President of the Islamic Research Foundation Zakir Naik delivers a speech at an “Islamaphobia” conference in Istanbul, Turkey, on March 23, 2017. (Salih Zeki Fazlioglu/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)

As expected, Zakir Naik, the controversial Indian Islamic preacher accused of spreading hate speech, laundering money, and funding terrorism by the Indian government was quick to use “misquoted” and “out of context” excuses to defend himself when his pants caught  fire. Amusingly, the previous corrupt Barisan Nasional government often used them too whenever they screw up.

But there’s one thing the arrogant Zakir hadn’t learned – apologise. Instead of apologising, the hate preacher retaliated and argued that his remarks were a response to calls for him to leave the country by certain individuals, clearly refer to writer Anas Zubedy and DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang. Still, his message remains the same – that ethnic Chinese are “guests” and should leave for all he cares.

He had an impression that Anas Zubedy and Lim Kit Siang were the only two Malaysians wanted him to leave Malaysia. That explains why he happily and boastfully claimed that only a small number of Malaysians were unhappy with his presence in the country, and the majority of non-Muslims – ethnic Chinese and Indians – liked him very much as if he is the best invention since toast bread.

Armed with the false illusion, Zakir went on a rampage – accused the Hindu Malaysians of supporting the Indian government more than Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad. In the same breath, the defiant preacher ignorantly said the Malaysian Chinese aren’t born in the country so they, as the “old guests”, must go back to China first before he (the “new guest”) can be asked to leave.

Comically, the genius hadn’t a clue about citizenship in Malaysia. Zakir thought any Chinese or Indians whom he doesn’t like can be expelled like a pariah. In this country, citizenship through operation of law cannot be revoked unless it was obtained by fraud or the person possesses double citizenship. His permanent resident status, meanwhile, can be cancelled with a snap of a finger.

In reality, almost all Hindus and Chinese wanted Zakir Naik to be deported yesterday. On top of that, moderate and right-thinking Malay-Muslims also wanted the fugitive to leave. Even Rais Yatim, infamous for his fiery defence of Malay rights and Islam supremacy, could not stomach the extreme Indian-born preacher. Mr. Rais could see through that Zakir is a dangerous man.

It takes a thief to catch a thief. So, Rais knew that if a preacher as radical as Zakir is not repatriated back to his home country, or elsewhere, the interracial and interreligious formed after centuries of hardship could be destroyed beyond repair. One must realise that Rais’ past display of extremism was merely a political drama to fish for Malay votes – part and parcel of the job as a politician.

Heck, even Hishammuddin Hussein, one of the most racist UMNO warlords whose infamous Keris-wielding speech asking for non-Muslim blood was incredibly alarmed with the dramatic changes in the country’s landscape. In his plea for unity, Hishammuddin said Malaysia as a country was built on the founding pillars of tolerance, compromise and optimism – certainly not hatred.

Understandably, in a multi-racial country, the sensitivities of everyone must to be taken into consideration irrespective of race or religion to ensure social harmony. Politicians like Hishammuddin and Rais knew that once the country is engulfed in chaos and instability like Afghanistan, Yemen or even Hong Kong, it won’t matter anymore who walks the corridors of power.

That was why Hishammuddin apologised in 2008 for wielding and kissing the Keris (Malay dagger) at the UMNO party’s annual assembly, a controversial move that upset the non-Malays in the country – which led to the disastrous performance of Barisan Nasional in the 2008 General Election. He knew when to stop playing the drama designed to gain Malay vote bank.

Zakir Naik, on the other hand, plays a different game altogether. He profits by instigating Muslims against non-Muslims – the bloodier the better. He doesn’t encourage his followers to play toy guns, but real suicide bombers. Islamic terrorist leader and bombing mastermind Moulvi Zahran Hashim, who was responsible for the Sri Lanka Easter bombing, killing 259 people, was inspired by Zakir Naik.

The despicable Zakir Naik, whose sermons are already banned in Canada and the UK, was also known as the Muslim preacher who inspired the terrorists who killed 22 people at a Dhaka restaurant on July 1, 2016. In one sermon uploaded to YouTube in 2009, he was asked by an audience member if a suicide attack could ever be justified.

He answered that suicide bombing may not be “haram (forbidden)” if the situation demands it, lecturing the situation where suicide attacks are allowed – “If the situation demands, like in Palestine … and they cause a damage to the opponent, as a last resort, with guidance from a scholar, so with guidance from the Koran, as a last resort, it can be used”.

The preacher had once claimed that Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was not a terrorist. He said – “If Osama-bin-Laden is fighting enemies of Islam, I am for him. If he is terrorising America – the terrorist, biggest terrorist – I am with him. Every Muslim should be a terrorist. The thing is that if he is terrorising the terrorist, he is following Islam.”

The snake oil salesman also justified keeping sex slaves, claiming such practice are permitted in Islam. He said in 2010 – “There are many verses in the Quran which say you can have sex with your wife and with whatever your right hand possesses.” So, are these the paths that Malays and Muslims in Malaysia plan to take – if Zakir Naik preaches them to do so?

Emboldened and encouraged by the protection accorded by the half-senile Prime Minister Mahathir, Zakir has clearly ventured into domestic politics. Amazingly, Hadi Awang, president of the opposition PAS Islamist party, has pledged to mobilize 1-million members to protect their beloved preacher. Hadi declared that Muslim brotherhood is above fellow citizens.

Mr. Hadi seems like an idiot who hadn’t a clue that religious violence in India, generally involved Hindus and Muslims, is quite common. That is precisely the culture that Zakir is trying to bring to Malaysia. It’s not an exaggeration to say that he is a terrorist in preacher’s clothing. He had even incited the Muslim world to fight the China over its treatment of Muslim Uighurs in the Xinjiang region.

Actually, the preacher has already radicalised some local Malay Muslims. A man threatened through social media posts to behead Syahredzan Johan, a prominent Malaysian civil liberties lawyer, if Zakir Naik is deported. The message said – “You expel Dr Zakir Naik, I will hunt you until I find you, and I will separate that pig head of yours from your body.”

Curiously, why did Zakir Naik choose Malaysia as his destination of refuge, and not 10 other Islamic nations that he boastfully claimed had offered him citizenships? That’s because Malaysia is a multi-racial country where the majority is the Muslims, a perfect place for his experiment where he can belittle, mock and insult the minorities to boost his credentials.

It’s interesting that he chooses to preach in Kelantan and Perlis, states where Malay Muslims constituted 95% and 80% respectively. Why did he preach to the converted and not go to cities like Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru or Penang to convince and convert the unconverted? In fact, he should think big, stop hiding in rural Malaysia and go to the U.S. to convert the Christians.

Yes, if Zakir Naik is indeed such a great preacher, he should stop wasting time instigating and inciting Muslims against non-Muslims. He would be more respected if he could unite the 1.8-billion Muslims around the world. Hadi Awang talked about Muslim brotherhood, but why didn’t he ask Zakir the reasons Sunni and Shia Muslims cut each other’s throats every day.

For 1,400 years Muslims have been fighting Muslims. Even as we speak, Saudi Arabia, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, is busy slaughtering fellow Muslims in Yemen. Should not genius Zakir go to Saudi and lectures the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman that the Yemeni War, which he started in 2015 must be stopped as close to 100,000 Muslims have been killed?

Was it not Zakir who talked about the peaceful spread of Islam in the Malay Archipelago before he told ethnic Chinese to go back to China? So, should not the powerful and influential preacher do something more meaningful like preaching to the Saudis and the Iranians that Islam is a peaceful religion; therefore, they should hug and kiss instead of killing each other?

Now that he is facing the prospect of deportation, the shameless preacher has the cheek to sue and demand an apology and compensation from 5 politicians, including Human Resource Minister Kulasegaran. It’s hard to imagine how PM Mahathir could still protect the troublemaker. Between 7 million taxpaying Chinese and one radical Indian Muslim preacher, the choice are obvious.

– Finance Twitter