The Terengganu state government will offer an island for controversial Muslim preacher Zakir Naik to consider founding the local branch or the South-East Asia regional research centre for the Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) which he helms.
As reported by national news agency Bernama yesterday, Terengganu Menteri Besar Ahmad Razif Abdul Rahman hoped that IRF's foothold would help make the state a centre for the development of knowledge and Islam in the region.
"Allah willing, tomorrow I will meet with Dr Zakir and discuss with him about the state government's offer for IRF to open a branch in Terengganu.
"Maybe we will offer one of the islands in the Tasik Kenyir region to locate the knowledge centre," he told reportedly said yesterday.
Razif said this after presenting the letters of appointment to the state drug eradication steering committee.
Others present at the event were state exco A Latiff Awang and Terengganu Agensi Anti-Dadah Kebangsaan director Rahayu Ahmad.
The Indian-born Zakir , originally a medical doctor before he turned to preaching, was conferred the Ma'al Hijrah Distinguished Personality award by Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah in 2013. He received similar accolades overseas but is also accused of being antagonistic to other religions and supportive of hardline Islam.
He first came to Malaysia to speak in 2012. Zakir’s current visit is on the invitation of the Terengganu government and one of his lectures at Stadium Gong Badak attracted 30,000 attendees. He is currently touring the nation with speaking engagements in Malacca, Kuala Lumpur and possibly Perlis.
Zakir's lectures were greeted with animosity by local Indian and Hindu NGOs who accused him of misinterpreting the Hindu religion, though many Muslims see him as being a knowledgeable figure in comparative religion and an Islamic scholar or import.
Authorities had initially issued a ban on his planned speeches but has relented to allow him to continue after pressure from certain Malay and Muslim quarters, though imposed the condition that he tone down, and limit his planned areas of discussion to focus on Islam and not stray into arguments on other religions.
