PETALING JAYA: Umno secretary-general Tan Seri Annuar Musa (pix) has defended controversial preacher Zakir Naik’s statement on Malaysia’s Hindu and Chinese communities.
In a series of tweets via his twitter handle @AnnuarMusa, he said Zakir’s remarks had been taken out of context.
“Do not twist the full statement and Zakir Naik’s speech. I have followed his full speech on the 8th. I was also present at the stadium on the 9th. Do not lie,“ he responded to Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman today.
Syed Saddiq had supported calls for Zakir to be extradited which gained intensity yesterday, with similar calls from the nation’s leaders, adding their voices to get him out of the country.
Meanwhile, Batu Kawan MP Kasthuri Patto in a statement urged for the preacher and his son’s permanent resident (PR) status to be revoked.
“Many times we have been told and reminded that the highest award rendered by any sovereign nation is to grant citizenship for her soon to become citizens,” she said.
“In the Malaysian context, one needs to wait for years and years and sometimes decades before their application for citizenship is approved. The process is arduous and lengthy with many visits to Putrajaya, long silences and unclear rejections.
“However, some have it much easier than others. There is no need for surat rayuan from the applicants, no need to be on a waiting list for years and years on end with no closure. But, Zakir Naik seems to be among the few favoured by the previous Barisan Nasional regime that speedily granted a permanent resident status to him.”
Marina Mahathir had also joined in the chorus by rebuking the preacher via twitter. “That’s rather a lot of my family ... who are you to tell us that?” she said.
