Kuala Lumpur – MIC Youth leader Datuk Sivaraajh Chandran commenting on a statement by Shah Alam member of Parliament and Parti Amanah leader Khalid Samad, has called on Indian leaders from DAP and Hindraf to state whether they support Khalid Samad’s stand.
The following is the full text of his press statement released today:-
“I refer to a news report in Free Malaysia Today titled “Amanah defends Zakir Naik”, in which, Parti Amanah Negara (PAN) information chief Khalid Samad had defended controversial Muslim preacher Zakir Naik by claiming that the preacher should not be blamed for a small group of his followers engaging in terrorism.
If the quotes attributed to Khalid is indeed true, it is an appalling development that begs a bigger question- is Pakatan Harapan now defending Zakir Naik?
Amanah is a component of Pakatan Harapan a statement as such by its information chief should be tantamount to being representative of the view within the larger coalition.
While the allegation of Zakir Naik and his organisation nurturing terrorist ideologies have been made by the Indian government, the fact remains that Zakir’s actions and words had threatened the multiracial fabric of Malaysia.
There has been more than enough evidence that Zakir Naik had repeated insulted Hindus and non-Muslims generally in his talks, and that is why MIC Youth concurs with the view of many non-governmental organisations that have opposed Zakir’s programmes here, not the least him being granted a permanent resident (PR) status.
MIC president Datuk Seri S Subramaniam has also openly questioned Zakir’s status in Malaysia and has said that Malaysia did not need someone like him.
The Indian leaders in DAP and Hindraf, which is now seeking to join Harapan, should come forward and clarify if Khalid Samad’s views are representative of a view from the opposition coalition.
Khalid’s statement is also an indication that Amanah’s ideology does not fall far from PAS, where almost all its leaders came from.
While Harapan, particularly DAP, has been critical of PAS for pursuing its agenda to further strengthen Islam to the point of alienating non-Muslims, can their leaders say with absolute certainty that Amanah would not go down the same path if and when it gets stronger and more emboldened as a party?
