Malaysia’s most contentious visitor, Zakir Naik, currently wanted in India on money-laundering charges, has never strayed far from the headlines since being awarded Permanent Resident status a few years ago by the previous administration.
The televangelist has been accused at home of stoking religious hate with his lectures, and after comments this weekend in the east coast state of Kelantan, has left many Malaysians wondering if he is bringing his own brand of divisive remarks to our shores.
In a talk on Thursday, Naik told attendees that while his voluntary departure was being called for in some quarters, he countered that ethnic Chinese, along with Indians and Malaysia’s British colonizers were, like him, once “new guests.”
“You know, someone called me a guest. So, I said — before me, the Chinese were the guests. If you want the new guest to go first, ask the old guest to go back.
“The Chinese aren’t born here, most of them. Maybe the new generations, yes.”
Right. Where to begin?
Let’s just start with the fact that Malaysia is a multi-ethnic country, comprised of native people, whose presence here predates everyone else, along with Malay, Chinese, Indians, Eurasians, and every other mix in between.
All of these people are Malaysians. None of them are “guests,” as you call them, Zakir.
As for the British, well, they were the kind of guests that you never invited over, stayed way too long, plundered your house of furniture, but left some of their half-decent belongings when they eventually left.
Putrajaya has previously resisted widespread calls from the public to deport Zakir back to India, where he is a wanted man; however, officials say they will not deport the preacher, claiming he will not receive a fair trial in country dominated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s brand of Hindu-oriented nationalism.
Well, that political tide seems to be shifting, with several central government figures over the past few days demanding that Naik leave the country. Among them, DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang, and government ministers Gobind Singh, M. Kulasegaran and Xavier Jayakumar. Earlier today, Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq threw his support behind his fellow ministers, saying he supported their calls to deport the preacher.
“An attack against our Chinese and Indian brothers and sisters is an attack against all Malaysians. It is ridiculous to even think that my fellow Malaysians are my guests.
“They are my family for God’s sake. Enough is enough,” he told media via WhatsApp.
He later tweeted: “Malaysia’s strength is the unity of its people. Don’t question our loyalty and togetherness.
“I know many Chinese and Indians who are willing to die for this country that they love. ”
A follower of Zakir’s teachings was arrested earlier this year, after several police reports were filed in regard to an alleged hate speech he gave in the northern state of Perlis.
Right. On to the topic of deportation for a wanted criminal: Is it petty to bring up the time we had no problem extraditing a Thai senior citizen seeking United Nations amnesty after she was accused of making anti-monarchy statements in her home country?
At the time, Mahthir told the press: “If there is a request, then we will send back. We are a good neighbor.”
Such neighborly concern has yet to be extended to the world’s largest democracy, India, and Prime Minister Mahathir has said that he would rather another country offer Naik refuge, than send him back home.
He has previously admitted that the decision to offer permanent resident status to Zakir was a call made by the previous administration, and that the preacher was “an unwelcome guest Malaysia can’t send away.”
Malaysians of all ethnic backgrounds have come out in defiance of Zakir’s divisive words, expressing unity, togetherness, and a growing consensus that, like bad fish, this ACTUAL guest’s presence is starting to stink.
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