KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 15 — PAS President Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang has vowed today that “more than one million” members of the Islamist party will not allow fugitive preacher Dr Zakir Naik from being harmed, amid calls to deport him over alleged inflammatory remarks.
He claimed that it is an obligation for Muslims to defend their religion and their preachers when threatened, labelling the issue as “a red traffic light” that every sane Muslim in the country should not cross.
“Trust us that this is not a mere personal decision of a prime minister, because more than one million PAS members will not allow for Dr Zakir Naik to be left alone, and trust us that Muslims from various parties and groups are together with us,” the Marang MP said in a statement.
“Do not oppose the red light, because the right of Muslim brotherhood comes before citizenship, and crosses the borders of countries and nations. That is the fact, not an incitement,” he added.
Hadi said PAS appreciated Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s decision to not send Dr Zakir back to India, but slammed fellow Muslims who he claimed are blind towards Quranic teachings.
“In comparison, there are many more mature non-Muslims who think that there is no need to interfere in the affairs of Islam because it would invite tension in a plural society that is still protected by Islam and its adherents,” he said.
In a separate statement, the PAS’ clergy wing, Dewan Ulama, also criticised Cabinet ministers who called for Dr Zakir’s deportation, calling the move “double standards” and a form of “racism and hatred” towards the controversial televangelist.
The wing claimed Dr Zakir’s statement has been taken out of context by sensationalist media outlets. This is despite the availability of the video of Dr Zakir’s alleged inflammatory speech.
The police said today India-born preacher Dr Zakir is under investigation under Section 504 of the Penal Code for intentional insult with intent to provoke a breach of the peace.
Yesterday, federal ministers from DAP and PKR said they urged the prime minister to send Dr Zakir back to India where he is wanted for money laundering and hate speech.
In May, the televangelist demanded written guarantees from India that he would not be detained prior to any conviction in order for him to stand trial there.
Dr Zakir has been evading Indian authorities since 2016, when files were opened against him for allegedly making hate speeches and laundering money after five militants launched an attack on a bakery in Dhaka, Bangladesh that ended with 29 dead.
– Malay Mail
Why are we at each other’s throats because of a foreigner, asks Rafidah
Former minister Rafidah Aziz is disappointed that Malaysians are at loggerheads with one another over a foreigner.
With the world heading towards a possible recession, she said, Malaysians must be united in facing the possible challenges.
“I only want to ask – why are Malaysians going against each other on account of some foreigner who is being sought after by his own country?” she asked.
Rafidah was responding to the controversy involving Indian-born preacher Dr Zakir Naik (below) and the call from several ministers for him to be deported following his speech during an event in Kelantan last week.
The former minister said Malaysians have their own issues to contend with, which have direct relevance to the future of the nation and younger generation.
“Why are some of us still so vulnerable to have our minds being subverted in so many ways seemingly in the name of religion?
“We must not allow extraneous, irrelevant matters cloud our minds and divert our attention from the real issues at hand,” she added in a text message to Malaysiakini this afternoon.
Rafidah also pointed out there are laws which can be resorted to and the country of origin should prevail in this context.
She reminded that Malaysia is also seeking the return of certain fugitives to bring them to justice.
“I urge Malaysians not to allow extraneous matters to cause fractiousness amongst us and no one should try to make political capital out of such an issue,” she added.
Indian authorities have requested Putrajaya to extradite Zakir to face alleged money laundering charges.
The preacher has maintained that the charges are false, citing the Interpol’s repeated refusal to grant a Red Notice as proof of this.
Previously, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said Zakir, who is a Malaysian permanent resident, would not be deported as there are concerns he might not be accorded a fair trial.
During his speech in Kelantan, the preacher courted flak for questioning the loyalty of Hindu Malaysians and suggesting that Chinese Malaysians are “old guests” in the country.
Zakir has claimed he was misquoted over the Hindu Malaysian comment but had yet to explain his remarks on the local Chinese.
– M’kini
You can preach all you want but critisizing others belief is not what Islam teaches. You also can denied and spin all you want but Allah Almighty is the whitness.
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