MIC vice-chief C Sivarraajh has criticised a university examination question which described controversial preacher Dr Zakir Naik as an "icon in the Muslim world".

He said the question was from an ethnic relations examination paper at the Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP).

"I cannot understand why questions that do not respect racial sensitivity is produced as an examination question for a subject intended to improve students' understanding of the different races and religions.

"I hope the UniMAP management will come forward to verify and explain the matter," Sivarraajh (photo) said in a Facebook posting.

The question had read: "Zakir Naik is one of the icon of the Islamic world, he is very active in spreading true Islam and following the Quran and Sunnah of Rasullah SAW. He is able to reason and to answer every question that is asked to him. However, in Malaysia, he is no longer allowed to deliver his preaching. In your opinion, as a Malaysian, why does this happen?"

The question provides several answers and more than one answer can be chosen.

The options were: (1) Malaysians do not bother; (2) Sensitive Malaysians feel threaten for no reason; (3) Malaysians who are normally submissive without any reason; (4) Malaysians are ignorant about their own religion.

Zakir, an Indian national, was barred from giving more talks after making controversial comments during a sermon in Kelantan in August.

During the sermon, he had claimed that Indian Malaysians were treated better than minorities in India but yet they appear to trust the Indian government more than Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

He also said critics who want him to leave Malaysia should first ask the "old guest" Chinese to leave. 

Zakir had claimed that his comments were taken out of context.