In response to outrage from the local Hindu community in particular over his presence in Malaysia, controversial Muslim preacher Dr Zakir Naik yesterday declared he only fears God's wrath and not mere mortals.

"I am not afraid of Hindraf. I am also not afraid of police reports (against him). In Islam, we cannot force someone to change their religion.

"I only fear God, Allah. I am not afraid of mere mortals," said the Mumbai-born Zakir in his lecture titled ‘Islam - Problem and Solution to Humanity’ at the Universiti Teknikal Malaysia campus in Malacca last night.

Zakir said this before he publicly converted a student named Kevin, who earlier asked him why it is said only Muslims could go to heaven when other religions also have a “similar” belief.

The last scheduled lecture in Zakir's Malaysia 2016 tour was attended by some 20,000, while the previous event drew over 30,000 people to a packed Bukit Jalil hockey stadium in Kuala Lumpur.

While responding to another student who introduced himself as Jack, Zakir also took the opportunity to explain the intention behind choosing ‘Similarities between Hinduism and Islam’ as his original lecture topic.

The authorities had instructed the preacher to change the topic due to consternation from the Hindu community.

‘Similarities, not differences’

Zakir explained that he had spoken on the same topic in other countries, and the outrage against him actually came from Muslims, based on their belief that it would be impossible to have similarities between the two religions.

"I wanted the topic to be about Hinduism and Islam. About the similarities. Is Islam and Hinduism no different?

“Did you know many Muslims think it would be impossible for the Hindu religion to have similarities with Islam?

"Many Muslims opposed me and questioned my lecture on how Hinduism can be similar to Islam.

“But what happened in this country is the opposite (Muslims welcomed him but Hindus opposed)," said Zakir.

Following protests from MIC, Hindraf and other Indian-based NGOs, inspector-general Khalid Abu Bakar had initially ordered organisers to cancel the talk on grounds of potential public unrest and to protect religious sensitivities.

Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, however, later gave the authorities go ahead after the organisers agreed to change the topic.

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