ON THE DEFENSIVE, MAHATHIR STARTING TO TALK NONSENSE? DEALING ANOTHER ‘INSULT’ TO INDIA, DR M ASKS – HOW DO YOU KNOW TURKEY WILL TORTURE DEPORTED TURKISH FAMILY? YET BY THE SAME LOGIC, HOW DOES DR M KNOW INDIA WILL TORTURE ZAKIR NAIK

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)

TURKISH teacher Arif Komis and his family were deported to Turkey after the police decided they shouldn’t be here, said Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Dr Mahathir also dismissed fears that Komis could be tortured by the Turkish authorities.

“I don’t know whether he will be tortured by Turkey. Do you know?” he said in reply to reporters, after the Pakatan Harapan leadership council meeting today.

The government has come under fire for repatriating the family who were protected by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Home Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said the family was deported this morning.

“The action was taken by the police who felt that they should not be in the country,” added Dr Mahathir.

Turkey-based human rights website Turkeypurge.com said it received an email from eyewitnesses claiming that Komis, his wife and four children were nabbed two nights ago from their home in Kuala Lumpur and were taken to the immigration centre near Putrajaya where they were processed for deportation at the request of the Turkish government.

Amnesty International Malaysia has chided Putrajaya for sending the family of six, including minors, back to Turkey despite the risks of torture and other ill-treatment at home.

Its executive director Shamini Darshni Kaliemuthu said the family with four young girls faced real risks to their safety and wellbeing in Turkey.

“The dcision to deport the family, including the couple’s four daughters who are minors at such short notice, is deplorable, especially in light of reports that they are being deported over accusations of the father Arif Komis’ membership of a faith-based group.

“The family is at risk of serious human rights violations or abuses back in their country,” she said in a statement.

Dr Mahathir grew agitated when asked why Komis was deported but not Muslim preacher Zakir Naik, who is wanted in India on terrorism-related and money-laundering charges.

“Don’t compare them with Zakir Naik so that there are controversies. We treat the case on its facts. On Zakir, where do you propose we send him?”