KUALA LUMPUR — The ban on controversial Indian preacher Dr Zakir Naik from public speaking was only in 2019 during police investigations against him over racially-charged comments.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail today confirmed in the Dewan Rakyat that the restriction is no longer in place.
“I have re-checked (and found that the) ban no longer exists as it was only imposed throughout the period of investigation on the speeches made by Zakir,” said the minister in his winding-up speech after debates on the royal address.
“To answer your question, Jelutong, the ban no longer (exists) now,” Saifuddin Nasution said in response to RSN Rayer (Jelutong-PH) who asked if the gag-order against Mumbai-born Zakir was still in place after he spoke at a convention in Perlis last month.
The DAP MP has been pressing both the Home Ministry and Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain to provide clarification on the public speaking ban that was issued on Zakir for his comments at an event in Kota Bharu, Kelantan six years ago.
At that event, he reportedly claimed that Malaysian Indians were more loyal to the Narendra Modi government in India.
He also reportedly described the Chinese Malaysian community as “old guests” who should return to their ancestral land. Zakir later claimed his remarks had been taken out of context by the media and apologised for any misunderstandings.
At the convention in Perlis last month, Zakir drew attention for his public speech which contained remarks on converting non-Muslims to Islam. There had been no announcement by the police or relevant authorities whether the public speaking ban on him had been lifted.
Zakir’s lawyer Datuk Akberdin Abdul Kader told Scoop earlier this month that the preacher was not under any gag order.
Instead, the preacher was instead advised by police to refrain from discussing sensitive topics related to other religions, said Akberdin.
“They (police) have advised him not to talk about sensitive religious matters and comparative religion since he used to talk about Hinduism and Christianity. That is why you have been seeing him talking about many other areas than these areas (other religions),” Akberdin had said. – February 20, 2025