Malaysia's Minister of Human Resources M. Kulasegaran has come down heavily on Indian Islamic preacher Zakir Naik for his remarks on Malaysia’s Hindu minority, remarking that the exiled televangelist does not deserve permanent residency in the country, reports Reuters.

Kulasegaran, who belongs to the country’s Tamil ethnic minority, wants Naik to be deported to India so that he can face pending legal proceedings on money laundering and hate speech charges.

While claiming that Hindus were given “100 times more rights” in Malaysia compared to India’s Muslim minority, Naik had remarked that they were sometimes more loyal to the Indian government than the Malaysian one.

Hindus in Malaysia form around 6.3 per cent of the total population and thus constitute one of the largest minority religions in the country.

Kulasegaran revealed that the Malaysian Cabinet will meet over the issue of Naik’s permanent residency. The minister believes that Naik’s remarks were aimed at creating a communal rift in the country.

“Should Malaysians be split over a man called Zakir Naik? Therefore, it’s time for Malaysians to unite and safeguard the peace and stability of the nation by exposing the dubious strategy of Naik in using religious and racial sentiments in a tolerant and harmonious country,” he said.