Controversial radical Islamic preacher Zamri Vinoth was arrested by Malaysian police on Saturday evening (7th February) when a scheduled rally in Kuala Lumpur did not materialise. The protest, which had been scheduled at 9 pm outside the Sogo department store in the city centre, was blocked by police due to security concerns.
Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Fadil Marsus confirmed the arrest through a Facebook page and said, “The arrest involved Zamri Vinoth and several other people.”
“I can confirm the arrest of Zamri Vinoth along with other named individuals,” he said, adding that further details would be shared at a press conference scheduled for the future.
Several others were also reportedly arrested, including lawyer Haniff Khatri Abdulla, Bersatu’s Hulu Langat division information chief Shafiq Abdul Halim, Hishamuddin Abu Bakar from the Ummah NGO, Iskandar Khoo of Bersatu, Gulab Jan from PPIM and the website owner Tamim Dahari Abd Razak. It also detained a man for failing to adhere to instructions at the scene and took him to the same police station.
Heavy security was deployed at the scene, with a total of 200 police officers, including members of the Light Strike Force, patrolling the area. Dang Wangi police chief, Sazalee Adam, addressed the crowd before them, then asked them to disperse. By 10 pm, the area was quiet.
Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Anwar Ibrahim, had called upon people not to cause unrest in the country. He stated, “If they breach the laws and try to cause racial tension, arrest them and throw them out.”
After the arrest of Zamri, Jelutong MP RSN Rayer urged the authorities to take strong action against the crime. He appealed to the police not to release Zamri on bail but to keep him in remand and charge him in court, stating that no one was above the law.
Rally threat linked to PM Modi’s visit
The planned rally comes amid Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s two-day state visit to Malaysia on 7th and 8th February. Modi’s visit is aimed at strengthening ties between the two countries after they upgraded their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership last year.
Ahead of the visit, Zamri had announced on Facebook that he would organise a rally against what he described as “illegal” Hindu temples. In his post, he urged supporters to gather outside Sogo KL and claimed they would “fight against intruders.” His remarks were seen by many as targeting Malaysia’s Hindu minority community.
Zamri, who is of Malaysian Tamil descent and was previously known as Vinoth Kalimuthu, converted to Islam and promptly began to make several provocative remarks regarding Hinduism. Interestingly, he is a staunch follower of the Indian fugitive and hate preacher Zakir Naik, who has been given asylum in Malaysia by its government. Authorities had already directed that the rally should not proceed, citing concerns over public safety and communal harmony.
