Islamic preacher Zakir Naik | Photo Credit: IANS

Key Highlights Zakir Naik has been living in Malaysia for the last three years after fleeing India Zakir Naik seeks an apology from Penang Deputy CM for making alleged defamatory remarks against him Zakir Naik has been banned by 7 states in Malaysia from speaking in public

New Delhi: After receiving a second legal notice from Zakir Naik, who has been living in Malaysia for the last three years after fleeing India, Penang Deputy Chief Minister II P Ramasamy will on Monday lodge a police complaint against the controversial Islamic preacher.

Naik seeks an apology from Ramasamy for making alleged defamatory remarks against him. Lawyers of the Penang Deputy Chief Minister will file the police complaint on his behalf today.

The five-page notice, dated August 23, sent by Naik read: “We (lawyers) are instructed to reiterate the said defamatory statements were clearly actuated by malice, hatred, envy, spite and or motivated to shore up your (Ramasamy) sagging popularity in his political party (DAP), after being sidelined in the party election."

“Clearly, we are instructed to state that the said defamatory statements bear a strong connotation that you had deliberately abused your position as the Deputy Chief Minister II of Penang.”

Notably, Naik has been banned by Penang and six other states (Melaka, Selangor, Johor, Perlis, Kedah, and Sarawak) from speaking in public.

On August 3, Naik, during a talk, had said that Hindus in Malaysia get "100 times more rights" than the Muslim minority gets in India, and yet they support the "Prime Minister of India and not the Prime Minister of Malaysia".

Naik, who is facing calls for deportation by various parties, said as the Malaysian Chinese were the "old guests" of the country, they should "go back first".

Naik is wanted in India for delivering inflammatory speeches and alleged money laundering.

The preacher later apologised for his remarks, insisting that he is not racist.

"Even though I have clarified myself, I feel I owe an apology to everyone who feels hurt because of this misunderstanding. I do not want any of you to harbour ill feelings for me."

"It was never my intention to upset any individual or community. It is against the basic tenets of Islam, and I would like to convey my heartfelt apologies for this misunderstanding," he had said.

Saying that it upset him that many non-Muslims think of him as a racist, Naik had mentioned: "As you must have noticed for the past few days, I am being accused of causing racial discord in the country and my detractors have been using selective sentences taken out of context and adding strange fabrications into them."

"That is a cause of concern for me because it brings harm to the image of Islam and serves to drive people away from it...Racism is an evil I am staunchly against, as is the Quran and it is the exact opposite of everything I stand for as an Islamic preacher," he said.