The party’s vice president, Idris Ahmad, said the ban was a loss to Johor.
“I don’t know why they were banned. The principle should be to listen to their lectures first.
“If their teachings caused disunity or undesirable polemics, we should call them up to advise them,” Idris told reporters after lodging a police report at the Sentul district police headquarters here today.
Johor yesterday banned Menk and Haslin, who is popularly known as “Ustad Bollywood”, from giving religious talks in the state.
Executive councillor for religion Abd Mutalip Abd Rahim was quoted by Berita Harian as saying the ban was ordered by state ruler Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar on the grounds that the views of the two preachers could harm racial unity and harmony.
The Johor ban came a day after the Singapore government disallowed Menk and Haslin from entering the city state to lecture on board a cruise ship.
The republic’s home ministry said Menk had been known to preach “segregationist and divisive teachings”, such as calling it a sin and crime for a Muslim to wish a non-Muslim Merry Christmas or Happy Deepavali.
Haslin was said to have described non-Muslims as “deviant”.
However, deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the Malaysian government had no problems with the two preachers giving talks in the country as it had found nothing wrong with their speeches.
In a statement to defend Menk, a group of religious scholars in Zimbabwe explained that the preacher encouraged Muslims to offer neutral greetings such as “Happy Holidays”, “Seasons Greetings” and “Have a Good Day”, instead of “Merry Christmas”.
“We stress that he had never termed it a sin to extend good wishes to someone of another religion during their festival. He taught that every individual has the same right to celebrate their festival without fear or restriction,” said Zimbabwe Ulama Council president Shaikh Umar Phiri.