Home Ministry denies Zakir Naik given citizenship

PETALING JAYA: The Home Ministry has denied that controversial Muslim scholar Dr Zakir Naik was given Malaysian citizenship.

“We do not give citizenship automatically unless the person is born in the country to Malaysian parents,” said Deputy Home Minister Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed in a message to The Star Online yesterday.

He added that he did not think Zakir would want to apply to become a naturalised Malaysian citizen.

“Zakir is not an important religious personality in South-East Asia as we should have our own mode­rate model of Islam which fits the culture of the people here.

“He is more Indian and South Asia-centric. But some of his ideas can be used here; that’s why he was awarded the Tokoh Maal Hijrah award,” he said yesterday.

The Hindustan Times in India, quoting an unnamed representative of Zakir, reported that Malay­sian citizenship was offered as a “package deal” when he was given the award here in 2013.

The paper also said Zakir was hiding in Malaysia after his Islamic Research Foundation was recently banned by Indian authorities.

Asked whether action would be taken against the Hindustan Times for the article, Nur Jazlan said no.

“The Hindustan Times is a foreign newspaper,” he said.