Govt should not bow to pressure, says PM

PUTRAJAYA: The government should not bow to pressure to deport Islamic preacher Dr Zakir Naik as it has considered various factors including the laws, said Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

“We are not always obliged to follow the will of others. We have to identify the reasons we respond to any pressure whether or not he (Zakir) had adhered to the laws.

“Or else, someone will become a victim,” he said at the briefing on Governance, Integrity and Anti-Corruption at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission headquarters here yesterday.

Dr Mahathir said this when asked to comment on the suggestion by Penang Deputy Chief Minister II P. Ramasamy to deport Zakir to his home country to ensure that bilateral ties between Malaysia and India would not be affected.