Isma President Abdullah Zaik Abd Rahman said Tee should target the government or relevant agencies who had treated Muslim converts unfairly so that changes could be made.

“I sympathise with him. I agree with him on the issue he raised about the treatment of converts although he was quite emotional… he should not have attacked the Malays.

“He should instead have targeted the Umno government and related agencies so that rectifications can be made,” he told FMT yesterday.

Tee in his weekly column in Sinar Harian this week, expressed disappointment over the treatment of Muslim converts, laying the blame on Malays, who he claimed prioritised race and themselves above fellow Muslims.

He said it disheartened him to see Islamic organisations filled with Malays, as opposed to Chinese, Indian, Orang Asli and Bumiputera Muslims, which he claimed implied Muslims of other races were not up to par with their Malay counterparts.

In his column, Tee also reminded the Malays that without the contributions of Chinese and Indian preachers who spread the teachings of Islam in the country, there was a likelihood Malays would be practising animism or worshipping trees.

Abdullah Zaik however said Tee’s statements were somewhat offensive as the academician’s main issue was with “certain parties” and not the Malays in general.

“In fact, the Malays are also offended by the Umno government and part of the agencies who serve not based on race but more on partisan politics,” he said.