Indian Islamic preacher apologizes to Malaysians for racial remarks

Zakir Naik, an Indian Islamic preacher and founder of Islamic Research Foundation, speaks to the media via a video conference in Mumbai, India. [Reuters]

Controversial Indian Islamic preacher Zakir Naik apologized on Tuesday for making racially sensitive remarks in Malaysia, a day after he was questioned by police for hours over the comments.

Naik, who faces charges of money laundering and hate speech in India, has come under fire for comments that pitted Malaysia’s ethnic and religious minorities against the predominantly Muslim Malay majority.