GEORGE TOWN, Aug 20 — Penang Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Ahmad Zakiyuddin Abd Rahman and Penang Mufti Datuk Seri Wan Salim Mohd Nor have both voiced their support for Dr Zakir Naik by stating that he is not an extremist.
While stressing that the controversial fugitive televangelist is still not allowed to preach in Penang, Zakiyuddin said Dr Zakir is not a terrorist with extremist views.
“His views are not extremist, maybe his method of preaching is not suitable for Penang and the country,” he told reporters during a brief press conference.
He said this meant that the preacher is still not welcomed to give talks in Penang.
“Maybe on a different scale and audience, maybe a closed audience, maybe that is okay, but not in Penang. So far, we’ve not received any application for him to hold talks here and as a precaution, we discouraged him from coming here when he met us last year,” he said.
Earlier today, Wan Salim issued a statement advising the public to stop demonising Dr Zakir.
He told the public not to accuse him of being an extremist and a preacher who spreads lies.
“He is someone who is quite open and ready for dialogues with anyone academically and rationally,” he said.
Wan Salim said it was only Dr Zakir’s views on comparative religion and his methods in defending Islam that had drawn the ire of those who dared not face him.
He then stressed that it was not a good move to allow Dr Zakir to hold talks in Penang especially in the current climate.
“I had to defend him when he was cruelly accused of these things by certain individuals, causing him to be hated,” he said.
Zakiyuddin said their defence of Dr Zakir as an Islamic preacher should not be seen as a green light for him to preach in Penang.
“Saying he is not an extremist and not allowing him to preach here are two different things,” he said.
He said many also are against calls for Dr Zakir to be extradited back to India but this does not equate to saying his talks are suitable for Penang or Malaysia.
The police today confirmed with Malay Mail that the authorities have barred Dr Zakir from delivering public talks in all states in Malaysia.
