A COALITION of 62 multiracial civil society groups today urged police to reveal updates on their investigation against controversial preacher Syakir Nasoha for allegedly insulting non-Muslims in several videos.

Global Human Rights Federation president S. Shashi Kumar, who led the group, which included those from Sabah and Sarawak, demanded a response from the authorities within the next seven days, saying the initial report on the preacher was made on October 3 and that there has been no action since.

“It has been more than 70 days now, and there is still no action taken against the preacher.

“We demand a response from the police within the next seven days. How long would they need to respond since the report was lodged months ago,” Shashi told reporters after handing over a memorandum to the Inspector-General of Police’s secretariat ASP Vishvamalar Sirosagee in front of the federal police headquarters in Bukit Aman today.

Some 3,000 police reports were lodged nationwide against Syakir after a video showing him making comments against other religions and the Dayak community went viral.

In the one-minute clip, the preacher is heard saying that “at the end of time, disciples of non-Muslim religions will be scrambling together to kill Muslims in the world”.

He also claimed that the killing of Muslims in India and Thailand is being carried out by Hindus and Buddhists.

He also made similar statements against the Dayak community, alleging its members had butchered and raped Muslims in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.

Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department director Abd Jalil Hassan said the preacher was being investigated for allegedly inciting or (making a statement) which is likely to incite any race or community of persons to commit any offence against any other race or community under section 505(c) of the Penal Code, and the misuse of network facilities under section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act.

However, another wave of reports was filed against the preacher after more videos of him making incendiary comments surfaced online.

Shashi said the inaction of the authorities against Muslim preachers who insult other faiths and religions were seen as bad precedence. He alleged cases against them were often ignored or classified as No Further Action (NFA).

“Every time we lodge a police report against a preacher or those of Muslim faith who insult other religions, they are often swept under the carpet.

“None of the preachers, who made such remarks, have been arrested to date,” he said.

Shashi also reiterated calls for the racial and religious hatred bill to be tabled in Parliament immediately to uphold the Federal Constitution.

“Why are they afraid to table the bill in Parliament? They are always talking about Timah (whisky) and the stewardess uniform. How are these relevant to the people?

“Why are they not upholding the Federal Constitution that guarantees equal protection under the law?

“There is no enforcement on this issue so the preachers are given the green light to make those comments and get away with it,” Shashi said, adding that even the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) is also not taking responsibility in controlling or monitoring their preachers.

Shashi also questioned if the government is taking Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s Keluarga Malaysia concept seriously.

He said the government’s inaction against those who make derogatory comments against the non-Muslims proves otherwise and claimed it is a clear discrimination of the word “Keluarga”.

“How do you establish unity and harmony in Malaysia if the non-Malays are called ‘kafir’ and ‘pendatang’ all the time. No one segregates and discriminates against their own family members,” the activist added. – December 15, 2021.