Dr Mahathir Mohamad has suggested that Putrajaya has no choice but to allow Zakir Naik to reside in Malaysia as other countries are not keen to accept the controversial Muslim preacher who is wanted by Indian authorities.
The prime minister added that Malaysia is not in favour of hate speech, but indicated that the government is also committed to the rule of law and a fair trial for anyone, even non-citizens.
“We have a multi-racial, multi-religious population in Malaysia. We don’t want anybody who comes up and addresses extreme views about race and other religions.
“So to that extent, we cannot have him. But on the other hand, it is difficult to send him anywhere else because many countries don’t want to have him,” Dr Mahathir told host Imran Garda of the Turkish news channel TRT World in an interview aired on Monday.
The prime minister was asked if he agreed with Indians who find Zakir to be an extremist and the West who believe the Mumbai-born preacher propagates hate speech.
Zakir continues to be a divisive figure in multi-religious Malaysia with many Muslims revering him and others who have called for his deportation.
In May, the televangelist conceded that he is willing to face justice back in India, but only if he is not arrested there until he is tried in court and convicted.
Dr Mahathir, likewise, had said Putrajaya wanted to ensure Zakir would be given a fair trial in India before agreeing to the extradition request.
Yesterday, Zakir said the Interpol’s refusal to issue a red corner notice (RCN) against him proved his innocence.
“Interpol’s decision does not come as a shock. It only shows how flimsy the Indian government’s charges against me have been,” he added.
Furthermore, he pointed out that the Interpol rarely refused an RCN when charges of terrorism were involved.
Speculation has been rife that the Mahathir administration’s decision not to acquiesce to India’s extradition request could be rooted in fear of a backlash from the Malay and Muslim community.
During his interview, Dr Mahathir, who made his first official trip to Turkey after returning to power last year, also touched on the Chinese crackdown on Uighur Muslims in the Xinjiang province, as well as his stance on the Sunni-Shia conflict.
He said Malaysia’s response to Chinese actions would be similar to how it reacted to the US.
“And there is no question of us taking any violent action against China but if we have the facts, yes we should condemn,” he added.
He also criticised those stoking rivalries between Sunni and Shias, saying both are Muslim.
“Of course each claims to be the correct interpretation of Islam and we may dispute, but the fact is the world regards both Sunnis and Shias as Muslim,” he said.
He said those out to label Muslims as terrorists ignore such sectarian differences.
“They don’t make a distinction and they consider both interpretations to be terroristic, that Islam advocates terrorism, whether they are Sunnis or Shias.” – FMT