Malaysia Refuses To Revoke Naik’s Permanent Residency Status, Says He Will Be Sent Back If India Asks

Islamist televangelist Zakir Naik will be sent back to India if New Delhi seeks his extradition, Malaysia’s deputy Prime Minister has said.

According to Malay Mail Online, deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi told the Malaysian Parliament that India had not requested Naik’s extradition yet, adding that Kuala Lumpur will send the fugitive back if New Delhi requests via the Mutual Legal Assistance framework between the two countries.

He also said that Naik had not applied for Malaysian citizenship.

“Until now, there is no application [from Naik] to become a citizen. If India requests that he be extradited via Mutual Legal Assistance, we will send him. To date, there has been no request,” the deputy prime minister was quoted as saying.

The deputy prime minister, however, refused to revoke Naik's permanent residency status in Malaysia, saying the televangelist had not violated any local laws.

“As long as he does not violate the laws, and did not do any wrong, what more like Ipoh Barat (MP, M. Kulasegaran) had said, that he had encouraged terrorism, that he had encouraged things which involve the degrading and criticising of other faith. We never received reports on that,” the deputy prime minister said.

The Indian government had in July revoked the passport of the fugitive preacher following a recommendation from the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

The radical preacher, wanted in India in cases related to terrorism and money laundering, is seeking Malaysian citizenship, PTI had reported in May.

Naik has been changing bases frequently, shuttling between the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Southeast Asian countries since the NIA approached Interpol for the issuance of a Red Corner Notice against him.

Hindus in Malaysia, mostly Tamils, have been protesting against Naik’s extended stay in their country, demanding authorities to not provide him a safe haven.

The chairman of HINDRAF (Hindu Rights Action Force), P Waythamoorthy, has called for the United Nation’s Counter-Terrorism Committee to advise Malaysia to deny Naik a safe haven in the country and to revoke his permanent resident status.

However, Hindu groups and temples have come under pressure from authorities in Malaysia to not oppose Naik’s activities in the country.

Naik has also attacked Hindu groups in the country. In a video that went viral on social media in March, Naik attacked HINDRAF, asking why Hindu groups had the right to criticise an Islamic mufti in a Muslim-majority country.