KUALA LUMPUR: Police opened investigation papers (IP) on three individuals for allegedly causing disharmony through intentional insults and making statements with intent to incite people from a community to act against those from another community.
This was after the men in blue received more than a dozen reports on the matter, nationwide.
Federal Criminal Investigation department director, Commissioner Datuk Huzir Mohamed in a statement said four IP’s had been opened so far.
Two IP’s were on controversial Muslim preacher Dr Zakir Naik for making separate statements on Malaysian Indians and Malaysian Chinese and one each on educationist group, Dong Zong chairperson Tan Tai Kim and tycoon Khoo Yew Yin.
He said Zakir who was questioned by the police for about five hours at Bukit Aman yesterday over his two separate statements is required to come back on Monday to continue having his statement recorded.
"He came in at about 3.30pm with his lawyer and at almost 7pm, he asked for postponement to break fast since he was fasting. So we told him to come back on Monday at 3pm to finish the process," he said.
Huzir said Zakir was accompanied by his lawyer Datuk Akberdin Abdul Kader during the statement taking process.
It was reported that during his ceramah in Kota Baru last Thursday, Zakir had compared the Hindus in Malaysia to the Muslims in India, by claiming that the Hindus here enjoyed more than 100 times more rights than Muslims in India.
He also alleged that the Hindus here were more loyal to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as opposed to Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
Meanwhile, commenting on calls by certain quarters for him to leave Malaysia, Zakir used an analogy of the Malaysian Chinese being "guests" in this country as well.
He remarked that the "old guests" should be asked to leave first before asking "new guests" to leave.
Zakir denied the accusations and claimed to have been misquoted, pointing out that his speech was taken out of context.
Huzir said Tan is being investigated after he claimed that introduction of Jawi or khat at vernacular schools was a form of Islamisation.
"Tan is also expected to be called in to have his statement recorded soon.
"Zakir and Tan are both being investigated under Section 504 meanwhile Koon is being investigated under Section 505c of the Penal Code for criticising the Armed Forces, saying many personnel did nothing except 'eat and sleep'," he said.
Koon has since apologised for his remarks.
Huzir said for charges under both sections, if a person is found guilty, they are punishable with up to two years’ jail, a fine, or both.