Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad on September 17 said that his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi did not request the extradition of Zakir Naik, wanted in India for money laundering and terror-related charges, and his country is looking for a place to send the radical preacher.
Mr. Naik, a 53-year-old radical television preacher, left India in 2016 and subsequently moved to the largely Muslim Malaysia, where he was granted permanent residency.
Mr. Mahathir said that Mr. Modi, whom he met in Russia during an economic forum earlier this month, made no extradition request for the controversial Islamic televangelist despite official notice from New Delhi.
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Briefing reporters on Prime Minister’s bilateral meeting with Mr. Mahathir, Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale had said that Mr. Modi raised the issue of Mr. Naik’s extradition with the Malaysian premier.
“Not many countries want him. I met with Modi. He didn’t ask me for this man,” Mr. Mahathir told Malaysian radio station BFM 89.9 when asked about Mr. Naik’s extradition.
He also said that Malaysia was looking for a place to send Mr. Naik who has made racially sensitive comments against Hindu and Chinese Malaysians recently.
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Mr. Mahathir then reaffirmed that Mr. Naik will no longer be allowed to publicly speak in Malaysia following his racially divisive remarks.
“Well, he’s not a national of this country. He has been given, I think by the previous government, permanent residence status. A permanent resident isn’t supposed to make any comments on this country’s systems and politics. He has breached that. He is now not allowed to speak.
“We are trying to find some place he can go to but at the moment, no one wants to accept him (Naik),” he said.
Mr. Naik is wanted by Indian authorities since 2016 for alleged money laundering and inciting extremism through hate speeches.
He has been banned from from any public activities in the multi-ethnic country after his remarks against Malaysian Hindus and Chinese on August 8.