As charges loom, cops say Zamri and Tamim fled to Thailand

Controversial preacher Zamri Vinoth and self-proclaimed land activist Tamim Dahri Abdul Razak have fled to Thailand as police close in on the pair with criminal charges following separate incidents of racial and religious provocation.

In a statement issued last night, Inspector-General of Police Khalid Ismail said Malaysian authorities are working with their Thai counterparts to track down and repatriate both suspects.

"Based on intelligence obtained by the police, both suspects have been found to have fled to Thailand, and efforts to locate them are actively underway with the assistance of the Thai authorities. Charges will be brought forth in due course upon the successful detection and repatriation of both suspects," he said.

Khalid said Zamri, whose full name is Muhammad Zamri Vinoth Kalimuthu, is facing two separate sets of charges.

"The police, through the criminal investigation department, confirm the completion of its investigation into Zamri in connection with his statement regarding the organisation of a gathering at the Sogo premises, Kuala Lumpur, on Feb 7, 2026.

“The investigation papers have been referred to the Attorney-General's Chambers, and the charge directive is as follows.

"Section 505(B) of the Penal Code, namely the making of statements constituting public mischief with intent to cause, or which is likely to cause, fear or alarm to the public. If convicted, the offender shall be liable to imprisonment for a term of up to two (2) years, or a fine, or both," Khalid said.

With regard to the investigation against Zamri over statements of an insulting nature directed at the Indian community, Khalid said the investigation papers have been referred to the Penang state prosecution director's office for a charge directive under Section 4(1) of the Sedition Act 1948.

Penang police are investigating Zamri for sedition over a TikTok livestream on March 8, where he purportedly made statements that were threatening, provocative, insulting, and racist.

Regarding the investigation into Tamim over the desecration of a soolam - a sacred Hindu trident - at the former site of Sri Maha Muniswarar Temple in Langkawi, Kedah, Khalid said police have completed their investigations and referred the case papers to the Kedah state prosecution director's office.

Khalid said Tamim will be charged under Section 295 of the Penal Code, namely the destruction or defilement of any object held sacred by any class of persons with intent to wound the religious feelings of any class of persons.

The offender is liable to imprisonment for up to two years, a fine, or both.

"The police assures that it shall remain fully committed and will not compromise with any individual or group involved in activities that threaten public order and public safety," Khalid said.

Tamim's act of stepping on the soolam, a video of which went viral, drew widespread condemnation.

He claimed ignorance over allegations that he had desecrated the symbol, saying he thought the object he was filmed stepping on was a rusty piece of metal on an unoccupied land clearing.

However, Indian community activist Umagandhan Krishnan disputed Tamim’s version of events.

Yesterday, more than 200 people gathered outside the Prime Minister’s Office to submit a memorandum to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, urging the Madani government to take firm action against rising religious hate speech and racial provocation.

Submitted by the Global Human Rights Federation (GHRF) alongside a coalition of 75 NGOs and concerned citizens, the memorandum called for consistent enforcement against individuals accused of stoking interfaith tensions, particularly on social media.

The memorandum named several individuals - among them preachers Zamri, Firdaus Wong, and Ridhuan Tee Abdullah, Tamim, and Perlis mufti Asri Zainul Abidin - alleging they had repeatedly made statements insulting to other religions and spread provocative narratives over more than a decade.

Solution for non-Muslim religious sites

Yesterday, DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke said the government is preparing to table guidelines on resolving land issues affecting non-Muslim religious sites at the National Council for Local Government.

In an interview with “The Keywords”, Loke said Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming had briefed the cabinet on the matter and that the framework is ready.

Loke, who is also the transport minister, said the guidelines, once tabled, will require all local authorities nationwide to comply.

“We are not trying to brush the problems aside. When we tackle these issues, we hope to find a long-term solution,” he said.

The issue of unauthorised temples and shrines has surfaced with increasing frequency, stoking racial tensions. Recent weeks have seen a series of religiously charged incidents.

Among those targeted were Zamri and social media personality S Chandrasegaran, better known as Cikgu Chandra.

Zamri was attacked while travelling in his car, while Chandrasegaran’s home was stormed, with three of his vehicles set ablaze.

Additionally, two cases of Quran desecration were recorded.

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