Malaysia probes Naik over religious remarks

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian authorities have initiated an investigation against controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik over his intent to provoke a peace breach while making alleged and sensitive remarks on the Hindus and Chinese residing in the Muslim-majority nation.

"We have opened an investigation paper based on a report made in Gombak. Around 115 reports have been lodged on the matter so far," said Federal CID director Huzir Mohamed was quoted as saying by The Strait Times during a press conference last Thursday (August 15) at the Selangor police headquarters here.

Zakir had asked the Malaysian Chinese to "go back" first, as they were the "old guests" of the country, during a religious talk titled "Executive

Talk Bersama Dr Zakir Naik" in Kota Baru, Kelantan, in response to calls for his own deportation.

His speech at the same venue was also condemned by many parties after he compared the Hindus in Malaysia to the Muslims in India, saying that the Hindus here enjoyed more than 100 per cent rights in Malaysia compared to Muslims in India.

In the wake of Naik's remarks, the Malaysian Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has further decided to issue

statements that Naik will no longer be allowed to stay

in Malaysia.

"We have expressed our position which is that action must be taken and that Zakir Naik should no longer be allowed to remain in Malaysia," said communications and multimedia minister Gobind Singh Deo and human resources minister M Kulasegaran.