Lawyer seeks police action after death threat over Zakir Naik
Civil liberties lawyer Syahredzan Johan has lodged a police report over a death threat he received after calling for the revocation of controversial Muslim preacher Dr Zakir Naik’s permanent residency (PR) status.
In the report, sighted by Malaysiakini, Syahredzan said he was concerned for his safety and hoped that the police would investigate the threat...
Civil liberties lawyer Syahredzan Johan has lodged a police report over a death threat he received after calling for the revocation of controversial Muslim preacher Dr Zakir Naik’s permanent residency (PR) status.
In the report, sighted by Malaysiakini, Syahredzan said he was concerned for his safety and hoped that the police would investigate the threat.
Contacted later, he said this was his first time receiving a death threat.
“I have received threats before especially when I campaigned to abolish the Sedition Act back in 2014. But this is the first time someone threatened to kill me.
“[...] I will continue to speak my mind despite this. I will not let this deter me,” he told Malaysiakini.
In the offending message, which Syahredzan (photo, second from the left) said he received last night on Facebook, the sender threatened to separate the lawyer’s head from his body.
The message, translated from Malay, read: "You chase away Dr Zakir Naik, I will find you till I get you and I will separate your pig head from your body... this I swear on Islam and the Malay race.
"If you dare, try it (chase Zakir away)."
Syahredzan said he did not know the sender and believed that their Facebook account has since been deactivated.
“I will be giving (my) statement to the police later today,” he added.
Syahredzan, an aide to DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang, was accompanied by Lim when he made the report at the Dang Wangi police station this morning.
Comments deemed insulting to Chinese and Indian Malaysians
In a statement yesterday, Syahredzan called for Zakir’s PR status to be revoked over recent comments deemed insulting to both Chinese and Indian Malaysians.
He did not specifically call for the preacher to be deported or extradited.
Zakir, who was granted a Malaysian PR in 2012, recently described Chinese Malaysians as “old guests” and challenged those who wanted him to leave the country to first request that these “old guests” return to where they came from.
In the same speech, the preacher claimed that Hindu Malaysians were more loyal to Indian PM Narendra Modi that they were to Malaysian premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
This speech was given at an event hosted by the Kelantan government.
The preacher later claimed to have been misquoted, saying he was referring only to members of the community believing in India's charges against him for money laundering and terrorism.
He has, however, denied any wrongdoing.
Mahathir has repeatedly refused calls for Zakir to be extradited back to India, saying there is a risk the latter could be killed.
The prime minister also said Zakir could stay as long as he does not break any local laws.
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