Malaysia-India Talks on Zakir Naik Handover Held at High Level, Anwar Confirms

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has confirmed that the possible handover of prominent Islamic preacher Zakir Naik to India has been discussed at a high level between the two countries.

Anwar, who is in New Delhi to attend the BRICS summit, revealed the development in an exclusive interview with Indian news channel NDTV.

He said the issue of Naik’s extradition was raised prominently during his bilateral meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Anwar said the sensitive matter was being discussed privately in view of the importance of bilateral relations and the need to maintain confidentiality. He added that the issue remained a priority as both countries seek to strengthen mutual trust and deepen their relationship.

He also acknowledged India’s demand for Naik’s extradition but stressed that Malaysia would have to proceed cautiously while respecting due legal processes.

Anwar said his government would consider both the rule of law in Malaysia and the importance of maintaining strong bilateral ties before making any decision.

Naik left India in 2016 and moved to Malaysia, where he was granted permanent residency. India later formally requested his extradition, but Malaysian authorities have maintained that they require reliable evidence and information before taking further action.

Naik also faced controversy in Malaysia in 2019 after making remarks concerning the country’s ethnic minority communities. He later apologized for the comments, helping to ease the dispute.

For now, the future of any possible extradition process appears to depend on legal considerations and the evidence presented by the relevant authorities.