KUALA LUMPUR, April 13 — Perak Mufti Tan Sri Harussani Zakaria has accused Penang Deputy Chief Minister II Dr P Ramasamy of being rude for labelling controversial Muslim preacher Dr Zakir Naik “satan”.

In a report by Berita Harian here, Harussani said Dr Zakir Naik had come to Malaysia to speak about the beauty of Islam, which he pointed out contradicts the teachings of “satan”.

“Calling people ‘satan’ is rude behaviour, Dr Zakir came to this country to preach. A devil would not teach the truth because he leads people astray,” he was quoted as saying in the Malay daily.

“Dr Zakir has never criticised the religious beliefs of others, much less compare them or denigrate them.”

Meanwhile, Selangor Mufti Datuk Mohd Tamyes Abd Wahid was quoted in the same report as saying that he was confident that Dr Zakir’s teachings were true as he is a respected preacher.

Ramasamy recently labelled Dr Zakir a “satan” in a now-deleted Facebook post. He later issued an apology on the matter, saying he had not meant to insult Islam or Muslims.

Dr Zakir, who received the government’s Tokoh Maal Hijrah award in 2013, previously angered the Hindu community here by allegedly insulting their deities along with the vegetarian practises of the faith.

The preacher’s talk in Malacca had been cancelled on the Inspector-General of Police’s instructions, but was restored after Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim met with Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar and Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.