SEPANG: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad reiterated that Dr Zakir Naik cannot be sent back to India because he runs the risk of being killed.
The prime minister said this when asked to comment on renewed calls to extradite the controversial preacher.
“So he is here today, but if any country wants to have him, they are welcome to,” Dr Mahathir said at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport’s (KLIA) 21st anniversary celebration, here, today.
Asked on his view about Dr Zakir’s recent remarks at an event on Aug 3 where he reportedly claimed Malaysian Hindus were more loyal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi than the Malaysian PM, Dr Mahathir said the question should be directed to the community instead.
Human Resource Minister M. Kulasegaran had called for action to be taken on Dr Zakir and said that his position would be raised in the cabinet meeting tomorrow.
He said the preacher did not show any signs of deserving his permanent resident status in Malaysia.
“It’s time for this fugitive foreigner to leave Malaysia and face charges of terrorism and money laundering in India,“ said Kulasegaran.