The government has not received any fresh extradition request from India for controversial preacher Zakir Naik, Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail says.
In a written parliamentary reply, Saifuddin said Malaysia received only one official extradition request from India, on Jan 19, 2018, but decided not to extradite Naik.
‘At present, the government has not received any new extradition requests,’ he said in response to a question from Pengkalan Chepa MP Ahmad Marzuk Shaary.
Saifuddin said the decision not to extradite Naik was based on Malaysia’s rights under the extradition treaty signed with India in 2010 and the provisions of the Extradition Act 1992.
India’s extradition request
India had sought Naik’s extradition over several allegations, including money laundering and inciting hate speech. Naik has denied the allegations.
In 2019, then prime minister Mahathir Mohamad said Malaysia had the right to refuse India’s extradition request if Naik, who holds permanent resident status in the country, would not receive justice.
Anwar’s meeting with Modi raises questions
In September, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said Naik’s possible extradition was discussed during his meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on the sidelines of the BRICS summit.
Following the meeting, PAS called on the government to clarify whether it had made any political commitment to India concerning Naik’s possible extradition.
PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan said the party was concerned that Naik could become a ‘political victim or diplomatic concession’ if Malaysia sought to demonstrate closer ties with India at the expense of due legal process.
