ZAKIR Naik has apologised to Malaysians and will stop going on roadshows, but the one thing he will never do is U-turn on his planned court action against four politicians and a former envoy for alleged defamation.

The preacher’s lawyer, Akberdin Abdul Kader, told The Malaysian Insight today that the suit will be filed next week, following the refusal of all five to take up Zakir’s offer to apologise to him and pay a settlement.

The five issued letters of demand are Penang Deputy Chief Minister II P. Ramasamy, Klang MP Charles Santiago, Bagan Dalam assemblyman Satees Muniandy, Human Resources Minister M. Kula Segaran and former ambassador Dennis J. Ignatius. Besides Ignatius, the others are DAP lawmakers.

All have separately told Zakir that they will see him in court.

“My client (Zakir) issued an apology this morning. He wanted to say sorry to all who might have been hurt,” said Akberdin.

“He maintains that he is not a racist, but a man of peace.

“However, the suit against the five individuals will go on. We will file it next week.”

Zakir, in the letters of demand, called on the recipients to apologise and offer a reasonable sum as settlement within 48 hours, or risk being sued for defamation.

Commenting on Zakir’s marathon session at Bukit Aman yesterday, Akberdin said the Mumbai-born preacher wanted to make sure his statement to police is error-free.

“It was actually nothing. We were done at 8pm, but Zakir wanted to make sure there are no mistakes in the statement. He wanted to make sure every word carries the correct meaning.

“The statement was amended several times, and we left Bukit Aman at 1.30am.”

Zakir was called up by police yesterday about 3pm for another round of questioning. He was first summoned on Friday.

Akberdin said the preacher will have another session with police this week over reports he lodged recently against those who allegedly defamed him.

“Yesterday, police wanted to know about his remarks comparing the loyalty of Indians here, and on the ‘old guests’ who should return to (where they came from).

“This Thursday or Friday, there will be another session with police.”

The case against Zakir is being investigated under Section 504 of the Penal Code, which covers insult with intent to provoke a breach of the peace, and is punishable by up to two years in prison, or a fine, or both.

Zakir has made the headlines over his speeches in Kota Baru, Kelantan, where he allegedly insulted the country’s Hindus and Chinese.

It was reported that he said Hindus here are more loyal to the Indian prime minister than to their own Dr Mahathir Mohamad, and that if he must return to his home country of India, Malaysia’s Chinese, whom he called “old guests”, should also “go back” to where they came from.

Following these remarks, at least 115 police reports were lodged against Zakir.

Several non-Muslim ministers raised the preacher’s comments at the last cabinet meeting, and urged the government to revoke his permanent resident status and boot him out of the country.

Dr Mahathir over the weekend said Zakir crossed the line by making political comments at the Kelantan ceramah two weeks ago.

Police today confirmed that Zakir is now barred from delivering public talks anywhere in the country, with the order issued in the interest of national security.

They also said investigation papers on the televangelist will be referred to the Attorney-General’s Chambers for further instruction. – August 20, 2019.