E-Paper
Zakir Naik meets Malaysian PM Mahathir Mohamad
A Malaysian news portal published several photos of the meeting between Zakir Naik and Mahathir Mohamad, who were both seen smiling and sitting at a table and talking.
A day after Malaysia’s Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad ruled out handing over Zakir Naik to India, the controversial preacher met the premier on Saturday, according to a report in the Malaysian media.
“I can confirm that Naik went to see Tun (Mahathir) this morning,” a source was quoted as saying by Free Malaysia Today news portal. The report described the meeting in Putrajaya city as “unscheduled” and “brief”.
The portal also published several photos of the meeting between Naik and Mohamad, who were both seen smiling and sitting at a table and talking.
The report also said it was “unclear as to what Naik discussed with Mahathir in their first meeting” since the Pakatan Harapan coalition assumed power following the general elections.
On Friday, Mohamad was asked about India’s demand to extradite Naik at a news conference and he replied: “As long as he is not creating any problem, we will not deport him because he has been given permanent resident status.”
India made a formal request to Malaysia in January to extradite Naik, wanted by New Delhi for allegedly inciting youngsters to join terrorism and financial irregularities. There had been intense speculation in India that the Malaysian government would act on the extradition request.
Naik has accused the Indian media of subjecting him to a campaign of vilification and said in a statement that he would not return to India as long as he feels he will be subjected to “unfair prosecution”.
Naik, who is being probed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), left India in July 2016 and has lived in Saudi Arabia and Malaysia since then. He has an apartment in Putrajaya located a short distance from the Prime Minister’s Office.
