The Kelantan PAS government has called on DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang to visit the state and discuss issues with controversial preacher Zakir Naik.

According to a report in Utusan Online, state PAS liaison secretary Che Abdullah Mat Nawi invited the DAP adviser to debate issues with Zakir if he really believed that the cleric was a criminal.

He added that the state government was ready to cover all of Lim's expenses and asked him to bring along as many supporters as he wanted.

Zakir's outreach programme in Kelantan will be from Aug 7 to 10 and Lim was invited to deliver his speech on the same stage on Aug 9, said Che Abdullah.

Che Abdullah said this while delivering a speech by Zakir at the Kampung Kebakat, Wakaf Bharu night market in Tumpat last night.

On August 1, Lim issued a statement in support of author Anas Zubedy's recommendation that Zakir voluntarily leaves Malaysia.

Quoting Anas's reasons, Lim said Zakir had to leave the country because he allegedly had a negative impact on the country's stability.

However, Lim's proposal was met with opposition from PAS Youth chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari who said that it was the Iskandar Puteri MP himself who should leave the country.

Che Abdullah went on to call on all Kelantanese to attend a rally in support of Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

He said the prime minister was facing pressure from his allies in Pakatan Harapan to send the preacher back to his home country.

"Thank God, Mahathir did not send Zakir back," he said.

"This is religious hatred that DAP leaders have shown against this Islamic preacher," Che Abdullah added.