The Malaysian Insight

POPULAR but controversial Muslim preacher Dr Zakir Naik has no credentials to preach or give talks on Islam in Penang.

Muslim preachers who want to preach, teach, or give lectures on the religion in the state have to first apply with the Penang Islamic Affairs Department (Jaipp).

Deputy Chief Minister I Ahmad Zakiyuddin Abdul Rahman said Dr Zakir has not sent in an application, which would be looked at on a case-by-case basis.

“He has no credentials to preach in the state. He has to get that first by applying with the state religious authorities. He has not done that yet.

“Preachers need the authorities’ permission before they can preach in Penang,” he said when asked to comment on a local Muslim group’s plan to bring Dr Zakir to Penang.

The conditions for teaching or giving accredited talks on Islam in Penang include not spreading ideas against Sunnah Wal Jamaah, and not offending any races, religions, cultures and cultural practices of local residents that can lead to racial and religious tension.

Yesterday, Malaysiakini reported that the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) had rejected an application by Islamic Propagation Society International (IPSI) to use the city stadium for a programme featuring Dr Zakir.

It reported that the rejection came in a February 13 letter by MBPP community service director Rashidah Jalaludin, who wrote that IPSI’s request “could not be considered”.

Zakiyuddin said even if the ceramah was to be held in a private house, Dr Zakir would still have to seek the local religious authorities’ permission.

“Maybe they are still just sorting out the venue. Whenever preachers apply to preach in Penang, they must state where they are planning to hold their event,” he said.

Jaipp director Zulkifli Long said Dr Zakir’s application would be processed accordingly, if he sent it in.

“We have a committee that handles and decides on such applications. We will study it. Such applications are handled case-by-case,” he said, without saying whether Jaipp would approve or reject the application.

IPSI founding president Kamaruddin Abdullah said Dr Zakir’s programme has been postponed indefinitely.

Dr Zakir, who is from India, has been a controversial figure since he was granted permanent residence in 2012 by the former Barisan Nasional government, which had allowed him to stay in the country and evade arrest over various cases in his home country.

The Indian government has long demanded for his extradition to have him face charges of inciting communal disharmony, and other unlawful activities. Indian authorities also revoked his passport in efforts to get him back.

Dr Zakir, who has his own television channel and a large following on Facebook, became a subject of investigations in India and Bangladesh after two suspects in a terror attack that left 22 dead in Dhaka in July 2016, claimed that they were inspired by his “radical preaching”.

His civil society group, the Islamic Research Foundation, was also probed for alleged money laundering.

He has always maintained his innocence, denying claims that he had ever promoted terror in the name of Islam or otherwise.

In a statement in July last year, Dr Zakir accused the media of using doctored video clips, quotes that were taken out of context, and other “dishonest schemes” to accuse him of terrorism, hate speech, and money-laundering.

He also praised Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad for allowing him to remain in Malaysia, after the latter rejected India’s extradition request for the Mumbai-born preacher, saying that he had caused Malaysia no harm.

In December last year, Dr Zakir and his wife Farhat Naik had a tour of Perlis, speaking at various venues.

Dr Zakir’s lectures, which were organised by One Centre Malaysia Perlis, touched on Islam, humanity, unity and science; while his wife’s ladies-only lectures were on Muslim women, dakwah, and motherhood.

In April 2016, the Penang government allowed Dr Zakir’s son Fariq Naik, who is in his mid-20s, to speak at a lecture organised by IPSI. It was reported that Fariq’s talk at Universiti Sains Malaysia was attended by nearly 4,000 people.

However, the authorities said no to Dr Zakir giving talks. The Penang police chief at the time, A. Thaiveegan, said the state police would take action against events featuring Dr Zakir.

He reportedly said the police’s stand was consistent with former inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar’s remarks that such religious talks did not benefit local communal ties.

Khalid had earlier told organisers of a comparative religion lecture series to cancel a Dr Zakir talk in Malacca. – February 22, 2019.