‘Zakir not promoting terrorism’

KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has dismissed suggestions that controversial Muslim preacher Dr Zakir Naik is promoting terrorism.
Ahmad Zahid said he had obtained information on several of Zakir's speeches in other countries, including in his home country India, and believes that the latter's speeches had been taken out of context.
"From the information that I have, he did not mean it; he did not mean to promote terrorism. We saw that he was awarded the 'Tokoh Maal Hijrah' (in 2013) because of his contributions.
"It's only that he was seen as questioning other religions. Even though he is a medical doctor, his interest is to do dakwah, the preaching of Islam ... We believe he is a very wise man," he told a press conference after attending the 2016 National Level Key Target Area Seminar here today.
Earlier, Ahmad Zahid announced the allocation of RM400,000 to renovate and upgrade the Gurdwara Sahib Sentul.
He said the refurbishment of the gurdwara will be fully funded by the government and advised the Sentul gurdwara to channel the donations they get from the Sikh community to other gurdwaras that are in need.
"Therefore any donations this gurdwara gets, it should be channelled to help other gurdwaras in the country," he said when addressing the more-than-a-thousand-strong crowd at the Sentula gurdwara during the Vaisakhi celebrations.
Ahmad Zahid said although the Sikh community in Malaysia is a religious minority, the mutual respect among religious factions in Malaysia is what makes the nation unique.
Meanwhile, the Gurdwara Sahib in Petaling Jaya saw a crowd of about 5,000 to 7,000 devotees.
Vaisakhi marks the formation of the Khalsa in 1699 which formed the core of Sikhism and elevated it to newer heights.