Islamic preacher Zakir Naik will be questioned by the Malaysian government for his remarks allegedly targeting the Hindu minorities of the nation. Naik will be summoned by the law enforcement agencies in the next couple of days, said officials privy to the case.
The action against Naik comes in the backdrop of a delegation of Ministers, including those from ethnic Chinese and Hindu community, meeting Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and appealing him to expel the Indian preacher in interest of the country’s communal harmony.
Home Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has adopted a stern approach in the case, said reports, adding that he has directed the police officials to prepare a tight case against Naik if he is found to have issued “racially-tinged statements”.
Muhyuddin further claimed that his Ministry would “not think twice” before cracking down on any individual, no matter how influential he is, if found to have intentionally fanned communal sentiments or spread fake news with the aim of creating unrest in the society.
Naik landed in the row after he reportedly issued a statement claiming that Hindus in Malaysia have “100 times more rights” as compared to Muslims in India. The remark, his detractors allege, is aimed at fuelling an anti-Hindu sentiment among Muslims in Malaysia who form the country’s majority.
On Wednesday, a delegation of lawmakers led by Gobind Singh Deo, Minister of communications and multimedia, and M Kulasegaran, Minister of Human Resources, met the Prime Minister and asked him to act against Naik for “denigrating” Hindus.
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