In shielding Zakir Naik, Malaysia risks losing moderate Muslim tag

A recent video of Naik enjoying VVIP treatment in Malaysia went viral.

India is in touch with Malaysia to secure the extradition of Dr Zakir Naik, the radical Islamic preacher. A recent video of Naik enjoying VVIP treatment in Malaysia went viral. The video shows Naik, who has been given permanent resident (PR) status in Malaysia, being driven in an official car escorted by police outriders.

Malaysia which is considered to be a moderate Muslim nation runs the risk of losing that tag if continues to protect Naik. Ipoh Barat MP M Kulasegaran has warned that the federal government's apparent special treatment of fugitive Indian preacher Zakir Naik threatens to shatter the image of Malaysia as a moderate Muslim nation.

He said Putrajaya would be put in an uncomfortable and embarrassing position if India issues a non-bailable warrant against Naik and gets an Interpol red corner notice on him which would require the country harbouring him to hand him over to India, the freemalaysiatoday reported.

"If all this comes to pass, Malaysia will be put on the spot. Prime Minister Najib's standing as a Muslim moderate and his creation of a lobby for global moderation will be in tatters," he said.

"Malaysia cannot run with the hare of global moderation and simultaneously hunt with the hounds of Muslim extremism," he added in his speech in the Dewan Rakyat today while debating Budget 2017, tabled by Prime Minister Najib Razak, the report also stated.

OneIndia News