Difficult guest: Zakir should get the message by now, says the writer, and drive straight to the airport.
LET’S make this easy for controversial preacher Zakir Naik to understand better – he is a guest in Malaysia, but his presence is making his host family very uncomfortable.
The family members are squabbling daily over whether he should be allowed to continue staying in their house. The disputes are tearing at the host family, and in some ways, have forced them to take a stand. His stay here has been divisive and has led to much unhappiness.
There have been numerous unnecessary flareups and, consequently, sad and angry faces. And all this fuss because of a foreigner. Some want him to stay, while others feel he has done enough damage and, so, should just leave.
Zakir must surely be within earshot of this bickering, but he has chosen to ignore the family’s predicament, putting on his arrogant smirk instead.
Adding insult to injury, he has now even declared to the family that he has a right to be a guest in their home now, lecturing them on family roots and history.
He has selfishly and obstinately refused to move, insisting he has done no wrong and has questioned why he should leave the family house, forgetting through it all that he’s merely a guest.
Meanwhile, there are others – those with political interests, specifically – who are egging him on to stay put.
They have assured him of their backing, in the hopes the home will collapse and its family members will end up in a bitter feud with harmful consequences.
That deviant thought has been planted in his head, and it might even encourage him further to put up a fight and even cross the line again.
Instead of just talking about religion, his area of expertise, Zakir has gone on to give a discourse on Malaysian history and politics, according to his warped interpretations, of course.
Conveniently, though, he has overlooked the fundamental point of the house being built by family members of various races and faiths.
The house turns 62 years old on Aug 31, and all its family members are looking forward to that celebration.
In setting up that home, some members have had to look for money to build and maintain it, while others put their lives on the line to safeguard everyone’s interest and wellbeing. Then there are those who work on the economy so there’s food on the table for the entire household.
Every member has a role and part to play, and all regard the house which they built as their home – forevermore.
Everyone accepts one another as brothers and sisters, and as is with every family, we have our differences and quarrels, but we remain together.
Zakir, please make it easy for everyone. It will much easier for the Prime Minister – as head of the family – if you would just leave the home.
Despite your offensive and divisive ways, he has defended you. But surely it must have pained him to see the family members quarrel over you. The PM has not spoken, but his daughter has.
Malaysians are very nice people, and we are often neither very direct nor confrontational. I guess pantun, puisi and peribahasa, are foreign to you, so we’ll leave that alone.
But you should get the message by now. You have chosen Saudi Arabia as your permanent residence, so please book your ticket home. A full citizenship in Saudi Arabia is better than being a mere guest in Malaysia.
And also, in your quiet moments, you should perhaps ask yourself and reflect why is it that so many countries – including those in the Middle East, presumably – don’t want you.
No country, to our informed knowledge, has offered you a place in their land.
If offers do come in, please share the good news with us Malaysians, so we may rejoice and celebrate the prospect of, not only you leaving, but of having host nations clamouring to offer you a home.
There will be another Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, when we can let our ministers deliberate more pressing matters such as the economy and strengthening our ringgit. We could also do well by allowing the Education Minister to unveil his plan for coding lessons for our kids. This must surely be our priority, instead of wasting time on inconsequential issues and individuals.
By the way, there are at least four airlines which fly from Kuala Lumpur to Jeddah.
