No new extradition request from India for Zakir, says Saifuddin

The Malaysian government has confirmed that it has not received any new extradition request for preacher Dr Zakir Naik from India, maintaining its stance against his extradition. The Home Ministry informed the Dewan Rakyat that the government previously declined to extradite Dr Zakir to India and has not made a commitment to do so. The ministry also stated that no fresh application has been received for Dr Zakir at the moment.

India's formal extradition request for Dr Zakir was received on January 19, 2018, and a diplomatic note was sent by India on May 29, 2020, asking Malaysia to reconsider. However, the Malaysian government has decided not to extradite Dr Zakir Naik to India, citing the country's rights under Article 6 of the Extradition Treaty signed with India in 2010 and provisions of the Extradition Act 1992.

Dr Zakir has been evading Indian authorities since 2016 after files were opened against him for allegedly making hate speeches and laundering money following an attack that killed 29 people in Dhaka, Bangladesh in 2016. India had formally requested Malaysia's extradition of Dr Zakir in June 2019 and the Indian court ordered him to appear in the country in the same month.