Controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik banned from giving public speeches in Malaysia

Malaysia has banned controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik to deliver public speeches anywhere in the country, a day after he was banned by Melaka state.

Malaysia has made this move in the interest of national security.

According to reports, Malay Mail had previously received a tip-off on the existence of a circular detailing the order, to all police contingents nationwide. Royal Malaysia Police Head of Corporate Communications Datuk Asmawati Ahmad confirmed the order when contacted by the Malay Mail.

"Yes. Such an order has been given to all police contingents, and this was done in the interest of national security and to preserve racial harmony," she told Malay Mail last night.

Meanwhile, the Star had on Sunday reported, Melaka the 7th state to ban Zakir delivering public speeches. Earlier, Malaysian states including Johor, Selangor, Penang, Kedah, Perlis and Sarawak had already banned Naik.

The Star reported that Kedah, Penang and Johor became the latest states to announce their objections to Dr. Zakir’s religious talks due to his combative style of propagating Islam.

Johor Religious Islamic Department (JAIJ) director Datuk Md Rofiki A. Shamsudin reportedly said the body never gave the Indian approval to hold talks in the state.

“Any religious preacher must get the necessary approval from JAIJ before they are allowed to conduct religious talks. This is to ensure these preachers do not say anything against our creed or aqidah,” he was quoted saying.

"The state would not welcome Zakir to its shores to speak at any public event, a decision which was made six months ago," said Penang Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Ahmad Zakiyuddin Abdul Rahman in an earlier statement.

Ahmad was reported to have told the evangelist that the content of his speeches or views “would not be suitable for” the highly multiracial state.

“When Zakir visited us, we discussed several things, including his wish to have talks here in Penang. “But we immediately told him that we felt whatever he wanted to talk about would not be suitable," he said.

On Sunday (August 18), Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said that Zakir had overstepped the line when he told ethnic Chinese to 'go back' and questioned the loyalty of Malaysian-Indians in two separate instances, calling the Mumbai-born preacher’s words incendiary.

The Langkawi MP also said Dr Zakir had transgressed his privilege as a foreigner with PR status by issuing political statements, and that he backs police investigation against the Indian fugitive.

Dr Zakir provoked the full wrath of a government that was otherwise seen as sympathetic towards the popular evangelist when he was said to have questioned the loyalty of Malaysian-Indians at a talk delivered in Kelantan weeks ago.

Also, Zakir's days of escaping the long arm of the law may be short-lived as country's PM has indicated that Zakir's permanent resident status may be revoked if the authorities provide enough evidence to prove that his actions can disturb social harmony in the country.

This comes days after the Malaysian authorities initiated a probe against the controversial Islamic preacher 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.

Zakir had reportedly asked the Malaysian Chinese to 'go back' first as they were the 'old guests' of the country during a religious talk titled 'Executive Talk Bersam 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 Hindus in Malaysia with Muslims in India, saying that the Hindus here enjoyed more than 100 percent rights as compared to Muslims in India.

Following a ban on him for delivering public speeches, Zakir has also tendered an apology over his remarks targeted at Hindus and Chinese origin people in Malaysia.