Yoursay: Syed Saddiq’s inexplicable U-turn on Zakir

YOURSAY | ‘It's not surprising if Mahathir is using him to do his dirty work for him.’

Syed Saddiq courts flak over Zakir Naik 'U-turn'

Mohd Isnin: These politicians are not bothered about being fair and just. They are not even bothered about the rule of law if it doesn't suit them.

They are mere hypocrites who would do anything to stay in power, and pass the baton to their favoured ones even at the expense of the nation’s harmony and peace.

We are still waiting for a Malay leader who would have the respect of all the races and would work for real unity instead of mere empty rhetoric.

Quo Vadis: When a person repents, asks for forgiveness, does it not require that he should no longer, and no more be in a position to repeat his mischief? Should he not be removed altogether from stirring, instigating, promoting divisiveness, disrupting harmony in the country?

Or should he be feted at dinners and ennobled by no less than a minister because he has apologised? Yes, minister, a picture is worth more than a thousand words, and no utterances can change a pixel of it.

4Malaysia: Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman is just a naive, vain, incompetent kid.

Glam magazine shots. Showing off topless in a tub. Getting awed by Umno leader Khairy Jamaluddin and Indonesian president Joko Widodo. Clueless in leading his ministry. Maturity of an 18-year-old.

Never had a proper job in his short life before becoming a minister. I would not even hire him to supervise a small team of technicians, what more leading a ministry.

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s plan all along is to sabotage Pakatan Harapan so that he can consolidate power with Bersatu and return his beloved Umno to power.

He is undermining PKR and its party leader, Anwar Ibrahim, by manipulating his deputy, Azmin Ali. Appointing useless ministers like Syed Saddiq and Education Minister Maszlee Malik so that Harapan gets the blame.

Fanning the issues of khat and Muslim preacher Zakir Naik, while doing nothing about the electoral reform, MACC’s past scandals as well as education. Still harping on race and religious issues. Can you see his plan?

Pakatan4Life: Syed Saddiq's U-turn shows he is still very much a boy. That being the case, it's not surprising if Mahathir is using him to do his dirty work for him.

Mahathir still wields tremendous amount of power simply because he is helming the highest post in the country.

And it's for this reason that Anwar himself is toeing the line as one small slip of discontent or friction on his part will see Mahathir merging his now formidable Bersatu with Umno and PAS, thus scuppering Anwar's dream of becoming the nation's 8th PM.

Shahzamani: Don't fool us, Syed Saddiq. You very obviously did not seek forgiveness for Zakir Naik on your own volition. You're are doing somebody's bidding.

Bersatu is obviously losing the battle for Malay's heart and mind to PAS and Umno. In the end, all of us Malaysians (Umno, PAS, and Bersatu included) are the losers. There is only one winner - Prime Minister Zakir Naik.

When that happens, Malaysia will not be far in the Taliban and IS (Islamic State) footsteps. The right panacea to treat the cancer that is Zakir Naik is to surgically remove the cancer cell. Everyone knows what must be done.

But the fear of Malay backlash is what makes Zakir Naik the most powerful politician in Malaysia.

Anonymous_1547638541238.97951547637684420: Just as I was about to accept Syed Saddiq as a bro, he had to do this.

I also believe forgiving someone is a virtue, but Zakir Naik has been warned several times.

Ravinder: So the heroic "Zakir Naik must be sent back" was all hot air. Now, the young minister apologises to Zakir Naik for his 'outburst'. The dinner was a "dinner of apology".

Hello, young minister, when you make a genuine mistake, unintentionally, you can be forgiven. But Zakir Naik is on a jihad to remove all non-Muslims from this planet. Perhaps you are too inexperienced to see through Zakir Naik.

He is not what you see, a man wearing religious garb, showing himself to be pious, claiming to be spreading peace. Do you know that he is not even respecting the Prophet who said "to you yours and to me mine"? His "peace" means he believes there will be peace when everyone on this planet is a Muslim.

Being a good debater does not make you a good people's representative because you have not gone through the mill of life. Don't try to teach us about Zakir Naik whose teachings about "peace" we have been following since you were still in school.

Gerard Lourdesamy: Mahathir will never deport Zakir because it will cost him crucial Malay support now and later in GE15.

Of course, the argument will be based on humanitarian grounds and Islamic tenets. Mahathir knows that in the short-term the non-Malays will condemn him over this decision but when it comes to the elections, they will still back Harapan because the Umno-PAS coalition is an anathema to them.

Zakir Naik will eventually be seen to be the lesser of two evils by non-Malay voters. So Mahathir is willing to take the risk because the odds are that Harapan will win on the back of solid non-Malay support irrespective of Zakir Naik and still get about 30% to 40% Malay support if not more by GE15.

In the interim, to placate the non-Malay voter base especially in the DAP and PKR, Mahathir will get the police to effectively emasculate Zakir Naik. Meaning, he can stay here permanently but not be allowed to open his mouth in public or on social media.

Instead, Zakir will be permitted to preach in private. Eventually, Zakir will get tired of this and want to go to another country of his own choosing where he can preach without restrictions.

Then Mahathir will say that Zakir left on his own accord and that the restrictions were necessary on the grounds of public order and national security. Of course, a neutralised Zakir does not benefit Umno or PAS.

Monty: Syed Siddiq, it is clear to all and sundry that you have been influenced by the PM. You and sadly the Patriot president Mohamed Arshad Raji as well.

He has apologised? Are you both so immature that you do not know what an apology entails? I don’t think you actually read Zakir Naik’s statement in full. He cunningly suggested that his speech was misunderstood.

After you and other Malay leaders, including a former IGP (inspector-general of police) from the present and past, have condemned the speech, you now host him to dinner and have completely gone over to his side.

May I remind you, minister, you are sitting pretty in this office because you were supported by Malaysians of all creeds - Muslims and non-Muslims. Zakir Naik did not put you there. Please get back to reality and work for those people who helped you attain this incredible high office you hold.

If you and Mahathir do not heed us, believe me when I say we will indeed be happy to support the Umno/PAS team come GE15. At least, we will know what to expect from them.

From you and Mahathir now, we feel that we have been stabbed in the back. Betrayed! Beware of this Indian national who has done a remarkable job of dividing us.

Anonymous2359: Syed Saddiq, it’s not your fault to be at an impressionable age, or as a greenhorn and do and say what you like, so long as you don’t represent or speak for others.

The above is a selection of comments posted by Malaysiakini subscribers. Only paying subscribers can post comments. Over the past one year, Malaysiakinians have posted over 100,000 comments. Join the Malaysiakini community and help set the news agenda. Subscribe now.

These comments are compiled to reflect the views of Malaysiakini subscribers on matters of public interest. Malaysiakini does not intend to represent these views as fact.