KUALA LUMPUR: The government would comply with an extradition request by India for Dr Zakir Naik were it to be made, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said on Wednesday.
However, he stressed that no such request has been received on the controversial Muslim preacher.
"During my visit to India, I met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Zakir was among the topics we discussed. Currently, there is no extradition request for him.
“However, if India requests that he be extradited via Mutual Legal Assistance, we will comply,” he told the Dewan Rakyat.
Zahid added that as of today, there has been no application by Zakir for Malaysian citizenship.
He said Zakir’s application for permanent residency in Malaysia is in compliance with the terms and conditions set by the Immigration Department and the National Registration Department.
Zahid also said that the government has been monitoring Zakir’s videos and transcripts locally and overseas, and has found no terrorism element promoted by the Muslim preacher.
"We have gone through all of his speeches and none of them was found to promote terrorism, and we are still monitoring his talks and speeches.
“The allegations of promotion of terrorism by Zakir were interpreted by organisations abroad, especially in Dhaka. That was their own perception of his speech,” he said.
Zahid was probed repeatedly on Zakir by numerous Members of Parliament during his budget wind-up speech, with calls for him to explain the status of the controversial preacher in Malaysia. -- With additional reporting by TEH ATHIRA YUSOF