A CIVIL society group leader has accused the authorities of practising double-standards in arresting writer Uthaya Sankar over his comments on polygamy involving Prophet Muhammad.

Global Human Rights Federation (GHRF) president S. Shashi Kumar said police were quick to arrest Uthaya but did not act similarly against controversial preacher Syakir Nasoha, who had made deprecatory comments about non-Muslims.

Shashi said thousands of reports had been filed against Syakir.

“They (police) are practising double-standards.

“What Uthaya did was not right but at the same time, we don’t see that (quick action) when Islamic preachers like Syakir insult other races and religions,” Shashi told The Malaysian Insight.

It has been more than six months since about 3,000 police reports were filed against the Islamic preacher over his comments against other religions and the Dayak community.

In a viral video 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 alleged that Muslims in India and Thailand were killed by Hindus and Buddhists. He also made similar statements against the Dayak community, alleging its members had raped and butchered Muslims in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.

Syakir has since said his speech was misunderstood.

Another wave of reports was filed against the preacher after more videos of him making deprecatory comments surfaced online.

Meanwhile, Uthaya was arrested on Monday over a Facebook post on the issue of polygamy involving Prophet Muhammad.

The writer was summoned by police over his comments on a news report on actor Iman Zulkarnain’s polygamous marriage.

Shashi said the authorities have dragged their feet over the Syakir case, despite 62 civil society groups handing a memorandum to the police in Bukit Aman in December, urging the cops for updates on their investigation.

He said that there was also no reply to his follow-up emails to the police.

“They (police) were supposed to get back to us on the progress of the investigation into Syakir Nasoha within a week of the memorandum, but nothing.

“I again sent an email to police about a week or two after submitting the memorandum but there has been no reply until today,” he said.

“This despite us providing the full video evidence,” he added.

Shashi said Syakir’s explanation that his videos were only meant for Muslims was unacceptable.

“And in the video, he definitely insulted the non-Muslims in the country. He was preaching hatred and this will cause disharmony.

Shashi said other Muslim preachers like Firdaus Wong, Zamri Vinoth Kalimithu were also taking advantage of the situation to continue to insult the non-Muslims, knowing the police would not arrest them.

“Are the police are taking sides and protecting these Muslim preachers who insult others?” Shashi asked.

Shashi said more than multiracial civil society groups would be handing over a memorandum today to Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah.

Shashi said the memorandum was about Muslim preachers who denigrated non-Islamic faiths and fomented disharmony and hatred among Malaysians.

He said that the groups had exhausted all avenues for justice and were now seeking the help of the king. – April 13, 2022.