PAS asks if India got commitment on extraditing Zakir Naik

The Malaysian opposition party PAS has questioned whether the country made any political commitments to India regarding the potential extradition of preacher Zakir Naik following a recent meeting between Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Indian counterpart Narendra Modi. PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan emphasized that Malaysia's historical ties with India across various sectors should not supersede Malaysian laws concerning extradition.

He stated that the nation should carefully evaluate any valid extradition request from another country, adhering to legal procedures instead of engaging in political negotiations or compromises.

Hassan expressed concern that Malaysia might inadvertently turn Zakir Naik into a "political victim" or offer a "diplomatic concession" if the government pursued the extradition request solely for maintaining positive relations with India. The Kota Bharu MP urged the government to provide clarity on the current status of the extradition request, the specifics of the discussions between Anwar and Modi, and whether any agreement had been reached.

He also requested explanations regarding whether the evidence and documentation supporting India's request met the legal requirements for extradition in Malaysia.

The statement follows reports from Indian news outlet New Delhi Television quoting Anwar as saying that the extradition issue had been discussed during their meeting at the BRICS summit in New Delhi. Anwar reportedly claimed that any potential action on the request must be undertaken "very cautiously" and in accordance with the rule of law.

Zakir Naik, a permanent resident in Malaysia, has denied the allegations against him, which date back to 2018 and include charges of money laundering and hate speech. Malaysia has consistently stated it would only comply with the request if presented with concrete and credible evidence, while Interpol has repeatedly declined to issue a red notice against Naik, citing insufficient grounds.