Zakir apologises after police ban him from giving public speeches

Updated 4 years ago · Published on 20 Aug 2019 8:57AM · 11 Comments

Mumbai-born preacher Zakir Naik, whose comments on Malaysia's non-Muslims have sparked a firestorm, says 'it was never my intention to upset any individual or community'. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, August 20, 2019.

ZAKIR Naik has apologised for the hurt his remarks have caused to non-Muslims, following the firestorm triggered by speeches he made in Kota Baru two weeks ago.

His apology this morning came hours after his marathon session with police at Bukit Aman, where he was warned against holding speaking engagements anywhere in the country.

Federal police corporate communications head Asmawati Ahmad confirmed the order banning the Mumbai-born preacher from giving public speeches, saying it was issued in the interest of national security.

In his apology, made via a statement, the controversial Zakir said he is not a racist, but a man of peace.

“Even though I have clarified myself, I feel I owe an apology to everyone who feels hurt because of this misunderstanding. I do not want any of you to harbour ill feelings towards me.

“It was never my intention to upset any individual or community. That is against the basic tenets of Islam, and I would like to convey my heartfelt apologies for this misunderstanding.”

He was questioned for a second time yesterday, in connection with his racially charged comments made in the Kelantan capital. He was first called up by police on Friday.

In his speech in Kota Baru, Zakir allegedly insulted the country’s Hindus and Chinese.

He purportedly said Hindus here are more loyal to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi than to their own Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

It was reported that Zakir said should he be required to return to his home country of India, Malaysia’s Chinese, whom he called “old guests”, should also “go back” to where they came from.

Dr Mahathir, who previously backed Zakir, did not hold his tongue on Sunday, saying the preacher had gone too far with his recent comments.

“I don’t know who gave him his permanent resident status, but he should stay out of politics. He can preach, he can spread Islam, and we are not going to stop him.

“But he must not talk about politics. Asking the Chinese and Indians to go back is political. Clearly, he is stirring up racial sentiments… let police investigate,” said the prime minister.

In his statement, Zakir said he has clarified his remarks to police.

He said his detractors had cherry-picked his comments and taken them out of context.

“It saddens me that this entire episode has caused many non-Muslims to think of me as a racist. It also worries me because the ones who are hurt have not heard my speeches, but based their impressions on out-of-context quotes.

“That is a cause for concern for me, because it brings harm to the image of Islam and serves to drive people away from it. Racism is an evil I am staunchly against, as is the Quran, and it is the exact opposite of everything I stand for as an Islamic preacher.” – August 20, 2019.

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Comments

  • Zakir naik dont talk rubbish. You are Not preaching Islam. We are not stupid u are CONVERTING NON MUSLIMS TO MUSLIM that is your main agenda bcoz u cunningly know that by doing so u can stay in msia Forever. Your Hate Speech hv Broken many Non Muslim families by converting them mother separate from son wife separate from husband innocent kids waiting for their father to come back to
    them so they can get fatherly love. U Evil Cunning Man break families
    thru ur ugly speeches. Zakir Naik TIME IS VERY POWERFULL. WHAT U
    SOW SO SHALL U REAP.

    Posted 4 years ago by Mindy Singh · Reply

  • Is that a halal lie?

    Posted 4 years ago by Yoon Kok · Reply

  • bloody liar...twisting words to make him look like a saint...CONMAN?

    Posted 4 years ago by Lipdah Lia · Reply

  • Syariah compliant liar

    Posted 4 years ago by Watch Dog · Reply

  • Syariah compliant liar

    Posted 4 years ago by Watch Dog · Reply

  • Zakir, your Islamic channel Peace TV is banned in Bangladesh. From what I have personally watched (prior to the ban) your channel may be described in many different ways but it was far from being peaceful/gentle which is what one would expect from a channel propagating peace.

    Posted 4 years ago by CD E · Reply

  • A preacher with no shame and inferiority complex has to resort to ' insulting 'other religious practices is a fake preacher using religion to shield his dubious, covert and evil mind

    Posted 4 years ago by Kimeng Ng · Reply

  • Fake preacher Time to go back to India

    Posted 4 years ago by Kenneth Tan · Reply

  • Man of Piss

    Posted 4 years ago by KC Yip · Reply

  • Zakir, you hurt Muslims too when you walked into this family and spewed your hate.

    Posted 4 years ago by P P · Reply

  • Zakir insulted all Malaysians. He was literally telling the Malaysian government that the Chinese should be sent back to China before he is sent back to India. What kind of religious man is this?. He is no man of peace when he compares religions - he berates all other religions to "prove" that Islam is the best and true religion.
    He is an excellent spinner, like the spinning in his "apology". I for one do not accept his apology because he is an intelligent man and knows the consequences of his words spoken in a multi-racial country. What he said was deliberate. I heard the recording of his lecture and many other lectures. It's always the same, the Muslims are superior to all the others. He wants the whole planet to be inhabited by Muslims. Now what ideas does that give to some in his audiences who are radical and racists? In Malay, he would be a "batu api" - a provoker of trouble. I hope the authorities have not closed thier files after this fake apology.

    Posted 4 years ago by Ravinder Singh · Reply