HINDRAF CALLS ON HOME MINISTER TO CONFIRM IF ZAKIR NAIK GRANTED PR STATUS

HINDRAF calls on the Home Minister Dato Sri Zahid Hamidi to confirm or deny if Zakir Naik was given Permanent Status in Malaysia and carries a Red Malaysian IC. We note yesterday the Deputy Home Minister denied Zakir was given citizenship, but however he was silent whether Zakir was indeed given a Permanent Resident status.

Months ago, HINDRAF received information from our well wishers that there was a secret meeting held at a hotel when a team of officers from the NRD were purportedly “processing his application” at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur. However HINDRAF did not pursue the matter then as those informants requested their identity to remain anonymous.

We now call upon the Home Minister to clear the air once and for all. We are also concerned that about 2 months ago the Home Minister was again apparently seen with Zakir Naik in Kuala Lumpur hosting him when the Indian Government was already seeking his whereabouts after allegations cropped up on the alleged IS terrorists claiming to have been motivated by Zakir’s speeches. 

HINDRAF would not be surprised if there is truth in the recent report by India’s National Investigation Agency that Zakir Naik is in hiding in Malaysia as well as being given Malaysia PR status. 

Although his preaching had been banned in India, Bangladesh, U.K. and Canada, Zakir had been provided with such immunity and support by this government when he was allowed to continue his preaching that clearly fostered the spirit of separateness and reinforced prejudice towards the Non- Muslim community in Malaysia. 

While over 300,000 descendants of the Malaysian Indian community still continues to lives in a stateless manner due to lopsided and racial policies, someone with proven credential like Zakir Naik who encourages violence and incite enmity amongst communities is given a freehand to preach and we are deeply concerned if he was indeed granted a PR status.
We also believe that the government owned Islamic network TV Alhijrah still carrying out Zakir’s TV show through his Peace TV when it is clear that such shows are not conductive for an harmonious state within the multi-cultural such as Malaysia. 

P.Waytha Moorthy
Chair
HINDRAF
28th November 2016