COMMENT | 'Minister meets 'inspirational' Zakir Naik,' read a headline in a news portal. This is a very disappointing message considering the fact that when Mujahid Yusof Rawa became a minister, he did announce that Zakir’s way of preaching is not suitable for our multicultural society.

Why a different message all of a sudden? I am also troubled by the news that we're bringing Malaysian Islamic State fighters back home, too. What are we getting into?

Alas, is our minister in charge of religion so shallow in knowledge that he needs the urgent help of a TV evangelist who is wanted in his own country? How does this go well with what the national unity minister wanted, as well as what the education minister would craft for our philosophy of education or social reconstruction and a new Malaysian patriotism?

Have we not enough confidence in our own understanding of how to explain the beauty of Islam in a multicultural society? A religion that can co-exist peacefully with other beautiful religions and philosophies? Preach for peace or don't preach at all. Or, do we really need preachers of this kind, such as Zakir Naik?...