Malaysia ministers want Zakir Naik expelled

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Four minister of Malaysia’s cabinet demanded the expulsion of Indian Muslim preacher Zakir Naik for allegedly making racially sensitive remarks in the multi-ethnic nation.

Muslim preacher came under fire for his recent comments that Hindus in the Southeast Asian country had “100 times more rights” than the Muslim minority in India, and that they sometimes believed in the Indian government more than the Malaysian one.

Race and religion are sensitive issues in Malaysia, where Muslims make up about 60 percent of its 32 million people. The rest are mostly ethnic Chinese and Indians, most of whom are Hindus.

“We have expressed our position, which is that action must be taken and that Zakir Naik should no longer be allowed to remain in Malaysia,” said Gobind Singh Deo, minister of communications and multimedia. “The prime minister has taken note of our concerns. We leave it to him to consider the position and to decide soonest possible what will be done to deal with the problem.”

He said Naik did not deserve the status of a permanent resident.