Mustafa Akyol said he found the attacks on DAP’s Kasthuri Patto “baffling and sad”, adding that there was no precedent in Islam for rejecting aid from non-Muslims.

“On the contrary, we know that the first Muslims, under the guidance of Prophet Muhammad, sought a lot of aid from the Christian kingdom in Ethiopia.

“Muslims fleeing from oppressive polytheists of Mecca sought asylum in this Christian kingdom and they found it.

“A verse in the Quran speaks of God telling Muslims, Jews and Christians that if He had wanted to make everyone of one community, He would have done so,” he told FMT.

However, Akyol added, God did not do so as he wanted the human race to “compete in doing good”.

He said, therefore, it was God who called on non-Muslims to do good.

“So, how can we Muslims try to prevent them from doing good?”

Kasthuri, who is Batu Kawan MP, recently revealed that she was criticised by “bigots” for handing out the aid which came from the Penang island zakat management centre as she was a non-Muslim.

She said she has since taken down photos on her social media account where she was seen distributing Ramadan aid to families in need.

Meanwhile, former federal minister Zaid Ibrahim questioned the prime minister on his silence over such behaviour.

“How low do we get before someone says something?” he tweeted.