Something is very wrong, when our police has the power to arbitrarily stop people from exercising their human rights to freedom of expression and opinion. This is what they seem to have done to Zakir Naik.
"Zakir can come to Perlis, but he can't talk and action will be taken against him if he does so, " SAC Noor Mushar[Perlis police chief] said at a press conference at the Perlis police headquarters here Friday.
“The way he talks, not everyone likes it. People of other races are unhappy. If he wants to talk, ask him to inform us first what he wants to talk, let us vet it.”
Many of us may not be very happy with Zakir Naik, and the things that he has been alleged to have said and/or done - but that really is how human rights work. He is free to say anything, including things that may annoy some people....and, we, who respect human rights, will have to simply accept his exercise of his human rights.
We too have the right to express how we feel, including asking for him to be prosecuted, etc ...Even during the BN rule, Malaysians expressed freely their views about their unhappiness about Najib...including also asking that he be investigated, arrested and prosecuted for his wrongdoings...Remember the Tangkap MO1 rallies?
Now, the police chief of police, not the COURTS, have placed a 'gag order' on Zakir Naik...he also wants to vet his future speeches...If they can this to Zakir naik, then in the future, they may start doing so to you and I...and that is worrying.
If you want to RESTRICT OR PROHIBIT our Human Rights, then it must be through a COURT order, after giving the person who will be affected by such restrictions the full opportunity to be heard, then the Court will decide justly the appropriate order...Neither the police, the PM or the government should be vested with such power to restrict our rights...Only the court, and that too after a fair trial.
Remember, everyone is presumed to be INNOCENT until they are proven guilty by the Court after a FAIR TRIAL...
The culture or practice of restricting human rights comes from the former UMNO led- Barisan Nasional regime. There were 'censorship', blocking of communications(including vide the Internet), imposition of arbitrary restrictions by government(which also could not be challenged or questioned even by Judicial Review..
Judicial Review - anyone unhappy with a government decision, can apply to Court to challenge that decision, and the Court will determine whether that decision was right or wrong according to law and our Constitution...
Even if you are charged in court, and your trial is proceeding, you do not lose your right to freedom of expression and opinion...Look at Najib?
The Pakatan Harapan, we had hoped will remove all these arbitrary powers of police, public servants and government - BUT sadly, to date they are still delaying...most disappointing..
The media reports that 'As of Friday (Aug 16), a post featuring the event on Zakir's Facebook page had been deleted.', the question that we must be asking was whether this post was deleted by Zakir Naik or was it deleted by the police or the government? Is the government monitoring our communication including the internet? And, sadly the answer is 'YES' where it has been admitted before - see Right
to Privacy of Malaysians under threat? Continuous monitoring of ALL
internet activity? To detect 'child pornography' offenders?
Malaysians should object to invasion of privacy, and also powers of the police/government to arbitrarily censor or block our communications, even over the internet..
If Zakir Naik has broken Malaysian laws, then the proper cause is for him to be investigated, charged and accorded a fair trial..
How exactly is the PERLIS police chief preventing him from speaking? What law is being used? This, we must know...for we would want such laws to be repealed..
It was also sad that many are asking for Zakir Naik to be deported ...well, if he is deported, he escapes Malaysian justice...he will be overseas...NO, do not deport him...but charge him now in Malaysian Courts if he has broken Malaysian laws...
Cops put the brakes on Zakir Naik speech at Perlis event
Nation
Friday, 16 Aug 2019 1:09 PM MYT
By R. SEKARAN and ZAKIAH KOYA
KANGAR: Controversial preacher Zakir Naik (pic) will not be speaking from the stage in Perlis as the police will not allow him to speak at the "Malaysia Reverts Camp 2019".
Perlis police chief SAC Noor Mushar Mohd said Friday (Aug 16) that in
view of the 150 police reports lodged against Zakir Naik, it would be
best if the controversial preacher and his family steered clear of the
event.
"Zakir can come to Perlis, but he can't talk and action will be taken
against him if he does so, " SAC Noor Mushar said at a press conference
at the Perlis police headquarters here Friday.
Noor Mushar also said if Zakir wants to give talks in the future, a
ten-day notice must be given, including the subject of his talk.
"We are a multi-racial country and the sensitivities of others have to be taken into consideration, " he said.
Meanwhile, Perlis Mufti Datuk Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin has written
to the organisers of the event saying that Zakir and his family should
be "excused from the event" to ensure nothing untoward happens to them.
"For the benefit of Zakir and his family, this department would like
to advise you to excuse him and his family from the Malaysia Reverts
Camp 2019.
"This is to ensure that he and his family are not disturbed due to
issues raised by those with ill intentions, " said Asri in the letter to
Muhammad Zamri Vinoth Kalimuthu of One Centre Malaysia, which is
organising the event.
The event, which was being publicised via social media, was to
feature Zakir, his wife and three children, who are also evangelists.
It was publicised as one of the biggest gatherings of Muslim converts in the country.
As of Friday (Aug 16), a post featuring the event on Zakir's Facebook page had been deleted. - Star, 16/8/2019
Perlis police gag Naik as preacher skips state-backed gathering
KANGAR: Pressure is growing on Indian preacher Dr Zakir Naik ahead of
a three-day programme that was to have featured him and his family
members as the star speakers.
This comes as Perlis police chief Noor Mushar Mohd today warned Naik,
who has been battling allegations of disrupting racial harmony through a
series of comments in Kelantan, against giving any speech in the state.
Mushar also urged organisers to call off the “Malaysia Reverts Camp
2019” programme, which is backed by state government agencies as well as
Perlis mufti Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin.
“As Perlis police chief, I do not allow Zakir Naik to attend
the programmes today as he has been raising issues that can threaten
the general peace of Malaysians,” he told a press conference.
He said some 150 police reports have been filed against Naik.
“We are a multiracial country, we have to take care of the
sensitivities of all and the peace and harmony that we currently enjoy. I
am duty-bound to ensure that.
“Naik can come (to Perlis), but he cannot give any talks. If the
organisers let him talk, then action will be taken under the Peaceful
Assembly Act 2012 and other relevant laws.”
He also said Naik should inform state police in the future what he plans to speak on.
“The way he talks, not everyone likes it. People of other races are
unhappy. If he wants to talk, ask him to inform us first what he wants
to talk, let us vet it.”
Meanwhile Asri, one of the most vocal local Muslim leaders
defending Naik, advised the preacher to skip the “reverts camp” for his
own safety.
When contacted, Naik’s disciple Zamri Vinoth confirmed to FMT that
the preacher and his family members are staying out of the event.
“I trust his wisdom and judgment. The Malaysia Reverts Camp 2019 will
still go on,” he said, adding that Naik’s students would replace him.
“So the segment will be ‘Ask Students of Dr Zakir Naik’.”
The camp, to be held at Perlis’s picturesque “Floating Mosque”, was
to feature Naik, his wife Farhat, and their children Fariq, Rushda and
Zikra.
Organisers, including Perlis Islamic agencies, had touted the event as the largest gathering of Muslim converts.
Calls for Naik to be sent back to India grew following a recent
series of lectures he gave in Kelantan, one of which touched on the
loyalty of Malaysian Hindus to Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
He claimed that Malaysian Hindus were more loyal to India’s Narendra
Modi than to Mahathir, despite receiving “100 times” more rights than
Muslims in India.
He was also quoted as saying that Chinese in Malaysia were considered “guests” in Malaysia as well.
Naik, who has been summoned by the police over his speeches, has since claimed that he is the target of a vilification campaign. - FMT, 16/8/2019
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