DEPUTY Prime Minister and Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today defended controversial preacher Zamihan Mat Zin’s role in running de-radicalisation programmes for detained militants and Islamic State supporters, Free Malaysia Today reported.

Zahid, whose ministry oversees the de-radicalisation programme, said Zamihan was an expert in rehabilitating those who had been radicalised by IS or would-be terrorists.

“Even though he is prohibited from giving religious talks in Selangor, his expertise in rehabilitating terrorists or potential terrorists is valuable,” he told reporters after delivering speech at the Huawei Asia Pacific Innovation Day in Kuala Lumpur.

“He is an asset when it comes to rehabilitating the faith of those who have gone astray.”

Today, PKR had questioned why Putrajaya was allowing the preacher to continue carrying out de-radicalisation programmes when his extremist views were well-known.

The party was responding to a Facebook post Zamihan made on running a programme in Tapah prison.

Zamihan, a Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) officer who was seconded to the Home Ministry to work on rehabilitating radicalised detainees, rose to national prominence last month when he allegedly criticised the Johor sultan for banning Muslim-only launderettes and said non-Muslims were unhygienic.

He was then investigated under the Sedition Act, arrested and remanded for two days over his remarks, and his secondment to the Prisons Department was reportedly under review. The Selangor ruler also revoked his credentials to deliver religious ceramah in the state.

Recently, he stirred controversy again when he criticised a muezzin in Penang for allowing non-Muslim flood victims to seek shelter in a surau. – November 9, 2017.