Yesterday, The ASEAN Post published an article on Zakir Naik and the effect he has had on Malaysian society. That article left us with a glaring question: Why was the government of Malaysia so adamant in keeping Naik in the country before his controversial speech in the northern city of Kota Bharu in the state of Kelantan?

Malaysia is a Southeast Asian country where a multitude of ethnicities and people of varying religious beliefs call home. While Malay Muslims make up a large majority of Malaysians, non-Muslims and non-Malays have been able to co-exist with their Malay Muslim counterparts with relative ease. This peace, however, has not come without its own tests and over the years there have been black spots in Malaysia’s history.

Zakir Naik is a controversial Muslim preacher that is currently under investigation by the Indian government for alleged acts of hate speech and money laundering. For years, the 53-year old had given talks through his channel, Peace TV.