KUALA LUMPUR: Wisma Putra has taken to task those questioning the veracity of what actually transpired between Prime Minster Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and his Indian counterpart over controversial Islamic preacher Dr Zakir Naik.
Foreign Affairs Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah said such comments questioning Dr Mahathir were not only cynical and misleading, but were also far from the truth.
He was referring to Dr Mahathir’s response of a discussion with Modi on the Mumbai-born preacher. The meeting between the two Asian leaders took place on the sidelines of the 2019 Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) on Sept 5, in Vladivostok, Russia.
“Some parties have made unfriendly comments in various social media platforms and channels to the extent of doubting the fact and the truth spoken by our Prime Minister, the Honourable Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, in his recent responses to media enquiries about Dr Zakir Naik.
“Not only are those comments cynical and misleading, they are also far from the truth. Those comments are, therefore, uncalled for,” Saifuddin said today.
Dr Mahathir had maintained that Modi did not make any extradition request for the Islamic controversial preacher in their recent meeting in Russia.
“I met Modi. He did not raise the issue. He did mention Zakir Naik. But he didn’t ask for Zakir Naik to be sent to India,” the Prime Minister had said after launching the Foreign Policy Framework of the New Malaysia on Wednesday.
Dr Mahathir was responding to a news report that the Indian government had challenged his claim that no extradition request was made for Dr Zakir Naik.
Saifuddin in defending Dr Mahathir said the Prime Minister was simply and matter-of-fact telling the truth of what transpired between the two leaders.
“I can certainly vouch for this truth since I was personally present in that meeting between the two leaders.
“Noticeably, my counterpart the Minister of External Affairs of India was not,” Saifuddin said.
India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar had claimed that Dr Zakir Naik’s extradition issue was brought up during Dr Mahathir’s meeting with Modi in Vladivostok on Sept 5.
The Indian Express also quoted Jaishankar as saying that India had requested Naik’s extradition from Malaysia in January.
The 53-year-old Islamic preacher is wanted by the authorities for alleged money laundering but sought refuge in Malaysia in 2016, where he was given permanent resident status.
“I strongly urge those parties to not speculate and make baseless allegations,” said Saifuddin.
He stressed that Malaysia and India have strong and comprehensive relations of more than six decades.
“These strong multifaceted ties have been mutually benefiting the people of the two countries.”