PUTRAJAYA - Dr Zakir Naik may have changed his stance on religions since receiving the Tokoh Maal Hijrah award in 2013, says Deputy Home Minister Nur Jazlan Mohamed in defending the move to ban the preacher from giving a talk at a forum in Malacca.
He said the government only presented the award to recipients for past contributions and added, “It is based on what the person had done before receiving the award. Sometimes the person changes after receiving an award.”
“People change,” he said to a question on why Zakir had been barred by police from giving the talk despite the preacher being a Tokoh Maal Hijrah recipient.
Nur Jazlan however praised Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar for carrying out his duty in stopping Zakir’s talk in Malacca and said, “It is the IGP’s duty to ensure people don’t incite racial and religious hatred, such as Zakir’s somewhat intolerant stance against other religions.”
He also told reporters here today that the police believed Zakir’s talks on the similarities between Hinduism and Islam could create anger and disharmony.
“It could turn into a religious issue.”
Nur Jazlan said the Home Ministry was therefore monitoring Zakir’s activities since his presence in Malaysia has ruffled the feathers of MIC Youth, who reportedly have lodged multiple police reports against him and the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf), who have demanded the government bar the preacher from entering the country.
Zakir, who is the Islamic Research Foundation president, started a series of lectures in Terengganu last week at the invitation of the state government and is scheduled to talk at a forum at the hockey stadium in Bukit Jalil on April 16.
Zakir last visited Malaysia in 2012.
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