Mumbai: A day after a story of the The Asian Age reported on how the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is considering legal options of becoming a party in a case in a Malaysian court that is hearing a suit filed by local citizens demanding the deportation of controversial preacher Zakir Naik, which was reported by a section of Malaysian media on Tuesday, the Malaysian government said on Tuesday it has kept his activities there under the scanner.
Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is also the home minister, in his written statement to the country’s Parliament and subsequent interaction with journalists, as reported by Malaysian media, said his country is yet to receive any request from India over Naik but will help India if such a request were to come. In his reply to a parliamentarian, Mr Hamidi said, “However, the government is always monitoring the activities done by Zakir Naik in this country, and will take action if he is found to be involved in terrorism activities.” Mr Hamidi said, “”If India requests for our help, we will do give it. It is not a matter of surrendering him, but it is about the investigations.” He said that Mr Naik was not a Malaysian citizen but has a permanent resident (PR) visa for Malaysia since five years.
According to sources, the ED can request its Malaysian counterparts to represent its case in the suit to ensure Naik is brought to the country to face the probe. Naik, who allegedly did not respond to four ED summons served to him, was allegedly last seen in Malaysia. The suit against Naik was filed in a Kuala Lumpur court in March by local human rights activists seeking a government declaration that Naik was allegedly a threat to Malaysia’s security.
Naik has been allegedly shifting his locations from Malaysia to Saudi Arabia to United Arab Emirates in order to avoid getting into legal tangles that would lead to his deportation to India. The ED had in April filed a chargesheet against one of his close aides in connection with the money laundering case. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had also last week filed a chargesheet against Naik for allegedly inciting terror and hate speech at a special court in Mumbai. Naik has denied all charges against him.
