If Zakir is that much of a problem to Indians, branding him an extremist and racist instead of meeting up with him to seek an explanation is bound to infuriate the Muslims and makes it all the more racist.
It also goes a long way to show how intolerant and barbaric those demanding his deportment are as a caring and peaceful administration would never act this way.
In any event, the police have already taken statements from Zakir and have issued a caveat prohibiting him from delivering further speeches in public.
Although this runs contrary to the demands of a democratic society in which freedom of speech is guaranteed, I think it’s high time that people like Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin stop dragging the issue by repeatedly stating the obvious.
SUBANG JAYA: Here’s the thing – Dr Zakir Naik delivered a speech in Kota Baru, Kelantan on invitation by PAS leaders.
He then made passing references to Malaysian Indians when comparing how Indians in Malaysia were treated by a Muslim majority administration as opposed to how Muslims in India were treated by a Hiindu administration.
There was absolutely nothing provocative about his speech within the Malaysian context as claimed by certain interest groups that clearly have political agendas.
As a matter of fact, if anything, Zakir’s speech served only to drive home the fact that non-Muslims in Malaysia are very lucky as the peace and harmony enjoyed here is unique and seldom found elsewhere in the world.
Perhaps it is this which irritates Lim Kit Siang and his goons.
Perhaps they prefer a racially divided Malaysia where the Muslims are segregated into as many factions as possible with all factions being at daggers drawn with the Chinese and the Indians.
Perhaps this is why the senior Lim, despite representing a party that claims to be democratic, was among the first to demand that Zakir be deported to India.
If indeed Kit Siang is democratic and aims to be among the progenitors of a “harmonious, caring, peaceful and all-inclusive new Malaysia,” he should be seeking a meeting with Zakir instead of making racially provocative statements.
To say that Zakir is racist without meeting him to seek an explanation is itself racist.
Given our multicultural and multireligious landscape, one can only hope to maintain peace if all factions agree to iron out differences on the discussion table and not by pointing fingers at one another.
If Zakir is that much of a problem to Indians, branding him an extremist and racist instead of seeking a resolution is bound to infuriate the Muslims and makes it all the more racist.
It also goes a long way to show how intolerant and barbaric those demanding his deportment are as a caring and peaceful administration would never act this way.
In any event, the police have already taken statements from Zakir and have issued a caveat prohibiting him from delivering further speeches in public.
Although this runs contrary to the demands of a democratic society in which freedom of speech is guaranteed, I think it’s high time that people like Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin stop dragging the issue by repeatedly stating the obvious.
Yes, we already know Zakir can be tried if he is found to have broken the law.
Muhyiddin should instead focus on advising the DAP and particularly, Ramasamy, to stop issuing stupid remarks and behaving like barbarians to better reflect the spirit of tolerance that has glued us all together thus far.
THE THIRD FORCE
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