Perlis-based preacher Zamri Vinoth has challenged a group representing M Indira Gandhi to prove its claim that supporters of Indian-born preacher Dr Zakir Naik were sheltering the woman’s ex-husband, who is wanted by the police.
Speaking to FMT, Zamri, a student of Naik, accused Indira Gandhi Action Team (Ingat) spokesman Arun Doraisamy of making make vague accusations, saying he had unfairly linked Naik to the police case without providing specific details.
“Naik has millions of followers,” he said.
(L) Zamri and Zakir.
“If you make claims like this, you are creating negative impressions about all of them.”
Indira’s ex-husband, Muhammad Riduan Abdullah, is wanted by police for abducting the couple’s daughter, Prasana Diksa.
Zamri said he and many other supporters of Naik would not condone what Riduan had done.
“If a non-Muslim child converts to Islam,” he said, “her relationship with her mother does not change. In Islam, she is still the mother.
“So I cannot tolerate the act of separating a child from her mother.
“I understand Riduan wants his daughter to follow the true path, but this is not the right way.”
He said Riduan should have worked things out with Indira and taught his daughter about Islam even if she were to remain a Hindu.
“The daughter could have learned about both religions, and when she reaches adulthood, she can choose for herself.
“If we believe Islam is the right path, we do not have to worry. We just teach our children and they can find their own way.”
He said this was ultimately a family problem which could have been resolved through dialogue between Indira and Riduan.
Ingat made its allegation at a press conference yesterday. It said Riduan was being sheltered not only by Naik supporters but also by PAS-friendly NGOs and southern Thailand separatists.
Arun said she had lodged a report at Petaling Jaya police station with the hope that an investigation will be carried out to verify the information that they received through public tip-offs.
“From 2009 until now we know there were PAS-friendly groups. Before I say this today, I thought about it a few times but I have to say it out loud.
“And now the new information we received, there are groups of Zakir Naik’s followers. This too I thought a few times on how to say it,” said Arun.
He claimed the help given to Riduan, who is said to be jobless, included monetary assistance as well as logistics aid.
As for the southern Thailand separatist groups, Arun claimed Ingat was informed that they had assisted Ridhuan in leaving Kelantan and past the border, despite not having a valid passport.
“People have sighted him. But it’s a small village so people are reluctant to give (confirm) their identity,” said Arun, adding that Ingat and Indira had presented all information they received to former inspector-general of police Mohamad Fuzi Harun during a meeting at Bukit Aman on April 19.
“We had a sighting. If previously we were worried whether the child (Prasana) was still alive or not, now we are pretty much confident that she is,” he added.
Despite police’s failure to locate Riduan and enforce a court order for him to return Prasana to Indira, Arun claimed the groups are supporting Reduan’s movement from Kelantan to Golok, together with a new wife and their children.
Indira in her police report also urged authorities to investigate the 27-year-old woman for allegedly abetting Riduan, who had abducted Prasana a decade ago as an 11-month-old child and has not been seen since.
Both Arun and Indira today insisted that the case had gone beyond the issue of forced conversion.
“If she wants to continue her life as a Muslim, that is her choice.
“It does not matter whether she is Muslim or not, she (Prasana) is still her (Indira)’s daughter,” said an emotional Arun.
A teary Indira said that she had been waiting for 10 years to be reunited with Prasana.
“All I want is to see her (Prasana) again. I am still very confused that we have yet to get any information on her.
“As a mother, I’m sad and hurt. I hope all Malaysians can help find her,” she said.
Indira has had a long battle in the courts for custody of her children and against their unilateral conversion to Islam by Riduan.
Prasana was one year old in 2009 when Riduan took her away from Indira.
Last year, the Federal Court ruled in favour of Indira. It said both parents must agree on their children’s conversion to Islam, departing from another court’s decision that either parent can decide on the children’s religion.
The court also ordered the police to locate Riduan and Prasana and to return the child to Indira.
Earlier, Inspector-General of Police Abdul Hamid Bador said he was actively looking into Prasana’s abduction.