IS it true in a recent meeting between Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad and India Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Russia, the latter requested for the extradition of Islamic preacher and fugitive Zakir Naik?

However, Dr Mahathir in a few press meetings had denied that such a request was made by Modi.

He merely reiterated that Modi mentioned Zakir in passing without making the request.

Dr Mahathir’s denial about Modi making the request for the extradition and his related comments that Malaysia has no choice but allow Zakir to stay as no country wants to give him asylum have not gone well with the authorities in India.

India’s external affairs minister S. Jayashanker had rebutted Dr Mahathir by saying that Modi indeed raised the matter of Zakir’s extradition in the meeting in Russia weeks back.

He said India is relentlessly pursuing the extradition of Zakir from Malaysia for charges of money laundering, siphoning of funds meant for charity into the accounts of his close relatives and for supporting terrorist activities.

I don’t really think we can understand what actually transpired in the one-hour conversation between Modi and Dr Mahathir.

Whether Modi requested for Zakir’s extradition is not important as India had formally made the request as early as 2018.

So, whether Modi made the request and whether this was denied by Dr Mahathir have become academic in nature.

It serves no purpose in finding out the truth. In fact, truth has become lost in the manner the media has covered the subject matter.

What is important is why Zakir, despite the havoc he has created in India and Malaysia, he has been given VIP status in Malaysia so much so he is regarded as one of the most influential persons in the country.

Apart from the fact no country wants to take him, there is fear that the expulsion of Zakir might cause domestic problems, especially among sections of Malay-Muslims who have come to regard him as a respected Islamic preacher, never mind that his lectures are in English.

More than 200 police reports have been lodged against Zakir while investigations are ongoing.

However, if leaders like Dr Mahathir are not inclined to extradite him, police investigations will make no impact.

Although Zakir has been banned in giving public lectures, it is a matter of time before he is allowed more room to manoeuvre in Malaysia.

It is clear that he has violated the conditions that was imposed in granting him a permanent residency status by questioning the loyalty of Malaysian Hindus and Chinese, but the government still wants to bend over backwards to protect him.

It is not clear that the government would have extended the protection to others who have made insensitive remarks about Muslims or non-Muslims.

The question is why this application of double-standard when it comes to Zakir.

He has not only violated the conditions of his permanent residency status, he has created ill feelings and hatred amongst Muslims and non-Muslims.

Given this, it is more than surprising why the popularly elected government of Pakatan Harapan wants to protect Zakir.

If Zakir is not accepted in other countries, this is not the problem for Malaysia.

To give this as reason for not sending him away is not acceptable.

Shouldn’t a responsible government of the day protect its citizens whether Muslims or non-Muslims from being hurt by the insensitive remarks from persons like Zakir?

Why is he so special that the freedom he enjoys supersedes that of Malaysians?

The government cannot prolong the issue of deportation for too long so much so that he could attain status that no ordinary laws could touch him.

Let us not become a laughing stock in the eyes of civilised citizens.

Let not the government of Malaysia be ridiculed and made fun of by the international community for bending backwards to protect a fugitive. – September 19, 2019.

* P. Ramasamy is Penang’s deputy chief minister.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.