'Fake': Saifuddin says on Zakir Naik citizenship claim

Summary

• Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail denies the government has granted citizenship to controversial preacher Zakir Naik.

• The minister says a viral image claiming Zakir has received citizenship was taken six years ago and was unrelated to any citizenship award.

An image showing controversial preacher Zakir Naik receiving an honorary title from former Perkasa president Ibrahim Ali was taken six years ago and is unrelated to any citizenship award, said Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.

The home minister said this in denying claims on social media that Zakir, a permanent resident in Malaysia, has been granted citizenship.

“It is a fake post which (the original photograph) was made more than six years ago,” said Saifuddin (above, left) as quoted by Free Malaysia Today.

The post was widely shared online not long after Saifuddin confirmed in the Dewan Rakyat that the police ban against Zakir from giving ceramah was no longer in effect, and the Indian national holds an official credential to teach Islam in Perlis.

‘Absolute fitnah’

The post also showed a photograph of Zakir receiving the “Pahlawan Perkasa” award from Ibrahim.

According to FMT, Ibrahim also dismissed the claim, stressing: ”This is absolute fitnah (slander) and is aimed at misleading Malaysians and provoking them for political reasons.

“He told me he does not want citizenship here, and he is waiting for the right time for everything to be settled before he returns to India,” the veteran politician added.

In August 2019, the police issued a nationwide ban preventing Zakir, who is wanted by the Indian government for alleged hate speech and terror-linked activities, from delivering public lectures in Malaysia.

The ban was imposed after he allegedly made controversial remarks about Hindus and Chinese in Malaysia during a lecture in Kota Bharu, Kelantan, on Aug 3, 2019.

Before the nationwide ban, seven states had already prohibited Zakir from giving lectures: Malacca, Johor, Selangor, Penang, Kedah, Sarawak, and Perlis.

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