Move not to deport controversial preacher Zakir Naik from Malaysia to India was a Cabinet decision

TASEK GELUGOR, Aug 24, 2019, NST. The move not to deport controversial Muslim preacher Dr Zakir Naik back to India was not a unilateral decision taken by Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, reported the New Straits Times.

Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Marzuki Yahya it was a collective cabinet decision which was discussed and agreed to by the ministers.

“We had repeated it time and time again that this is not a decision made by an individual, so there is no need to further discuss it.

“If they are unhappy about it then they can refer it to the respective parties. Why do you need to protest?” he said here today.

He was asked to respond on the planned rally, which was called off, to urge the deportation of Dr Zakir.

Zakir is under police investigation for intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace for having allegedly made controversial remarks against Malaysian Hindus and Chinese in Kelantan on Aug 3, prompting calls for him to be deported to India.

Since then many quarters including ministers have called for action to be taken against him.

However the 53-year-old eventually apologised for his remarks.

Asked if people were still adamant in wanting Dr Zakir to be deported despite the cabinet decision on the matter, Marzuki said that it was their right.

“If we want to please everyone, we cannot do that.

“It is the decision made by the Malaysian government not to deport him,” he said.

A rally was scheduled to be held today in Brickfields. However it was called off after the rally organiser spoke to PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim last night.

The preacher from India, who is a permanent resident in Malaysia, has been wanted by Indian authorities since 2016 for alleged money laundering and inciting extremism through hate speeches.