The radical Islamist preacher Zakir Naik has rushed with an apology to all non-Muslims soon after the Malaysian authorities imposed a nation-wide ban on him from giving speeches yesterday.
The controversial preacher has come under fire for his racist statements in Malaysia. The Royal Malaysia Police Head of Corporate Communications, Datuk Asmawati Ahmad, had confirmed that orders barring Zakir Naik from delivering public talks in all states in Malaysia had been issued to all police contingents.
Zakir, who is banned by some Malaysian states from even entering their jurisdictional area, rushed to issue an apology for the hurt he caused by his speeches to non-muslims and maintained that he is not a racist.
“As you must have noticed for the past few days, I am being accused of causing racial discord in the country, and my detractors have been using selective sentences taken out of context and adding strange fabrications into them,” said the controversial preacher.
Incidentally, things have not been going in Zakir Naik’s favour. There has been growing pressure on the Putrajaya to rescind Zakir’s permanent residence status in Malaysia after he allegedly made comments against the Indians and the Chinese in speeches in Kelantan last week.
At a talk delivered a while ago, Naik had stated that Hindu Malaysians are not loyal to Malaysia but towards India’s PM Narendra Modi.
The Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad had also stated recently that Naik has been attempting to create a racial divide in the country. On Sunday, PM Mahathir Mohamad stated that Naik has overstepped a line when he spoke against Malaysian Hindus and Chinese Malaysians. He stated that Naik’s statements were incendiary.
Zakir said he has always been a ‘man of peace’ because that’s what the Quran stands for and that it has been his mission to spread peace throughout the world. “Even though I have clarified myself, I feel I owe an apology to everyone who feels hurt because of this misunderstanding. I do not want any of you to harbour ill feelings towards me. It was never my intention to upset any individual or community. It is against the basic tenets of Islam, and I would like to convey my heartfelt apologies for this misunderstanding,” said the fugitive.
However, a moderation advocate Mohamed Tawfik Ismail opined that it is not enough for Zakir Naik to issue an apology for his racially-charged remarks and that it was high time for the controversial preacher to be deported.
Zakir Naik has been cornered from all sides. The government of India had taken his channel, Peace TV, off the air and banned his NGO for peddling hate propaganda. Following the suit, many countries like UK, Canada, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have banned ban Zakir Naik’s peace TV.
Naik, who links with the Congress had also emerged, has been notorious in spreading hatred between religious groups and for inciting Muslim youth to join in the jihad against non-believers of Islam.
