UNIVERSITI Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP) was not totally off track with the question on Zakir Naik.

It was a relevant issue that affected ethnic relations in the country. However, the inappropriateness was in the multiple answers made available.

It left out the most significant fact being that this preacher was also wanted for alleged criminal offences by authorities in his own country. It would have been prudent if students were given the choice of giving subjective opinions on the matter.

The fact that Zakir had made biased and seditious remarks about Indians and Chinese was uncalled for but such remarks are not unfamiliar in this country as our own politicians have also in the past, made derogatory racial and religious remarks.

Therefore, the issue really lies in our non-compliance with the rule of law, especially when we have an extradition treaty with India.

Why we choose not to extradite him, is bewildering. We should hand him over to India and trust that their criminal justice system, (which is actually where ours was codified from), will be fair.

We expect the same respect and trust from the global platform in our criminal justice system too. We cannot afford to have different sets of rules according to the whims and fancies of politicians who only want to gain political mileage.

It was ironic too when Inspector-General of Police Abdul Hamid Bador was reportedly peeved that a foreign country did not cooperate with our laws when it came to our own much wanted fugitive, Low Taek Jho. Not really surprising, I thought.

Once again the reasons in the aftermath of this controversy centres around how it is being taken out of context. How many times have we heard this before, especially from those who realised that they have gotten into a tight corner and need to use the get out of jail card!

Even more alarming is that there is a lack of urgency to take action against those responsible. The probe must establish why Zakir, who is wanted for alleged criminal offences in his country, was left out of the whole equation.

The author of the question must be investigated for any underlying intention to convey his own personal extreme views, if any. The “out of context” reason given now can imply that some educationists share the same platform on these dogmatic views when it comes to this controversial preacher. This can be extremely detrimental to New Malaysia.

An independent inquiry should be held to ascertain the facts. Only after establishing the inappropriateness of such a question coupled with the limited answers provided can proper action be taken against those responsible, subject of course to the findings of the said inquiry.

The Education Ministry must not take this lightly and university autonomy cannot be used as an explanation to let this pass without appropriate action taken.

We cannot have extreme lines of thought influencing our youths, especially when it is imbalanced and insensitive. It can provoke and instigate serious problems, especially in a plural and multicultural society such as ours. Nevertheless, healthy and fair argument should be allowed to thrive on all platforms of debate and discussion.

Our education system must incorporate the reality of the fact that our history has evolved into a melting pot comprising Malaya, Sabah and Sarawak. Each has its own history as to how and why they joined Malaysia in 1963.

Within two decades, almost the whole population will be those born after 1963 and that is a reality that has to be part of the present leaders’ foresight.

New Malaysia is in dire need of a statesman who understands this, so as to be able to lead all Malaysians to attain our highest potential possible, arm in arm and side by side.

The sensitivity of all Malaysians regardless of race, colour, creed or religion must be given fair consideration. The whole education system must take cognisance of this and move in tandem to a higher level of administration especially in our higher institutions of learning.

The old guards in Putrajaya are outdated and are still mired in a time warp. They need to see the bigger picture for Malaysia to thrive and progress in harmony as one nation.

We have to stop the bickering on religious and racial rhetoric and we need leaders who have the knowledge and experience to neutralise these sensitivities and focus on factors that can unite all Malaysians.

New Malaysia must recalibrate and call a spade a spade to deliver the goods. – January 5, 2020.

* G. Selva reads The Malaysian Insight.

* 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.