Penang Deputy Chief Minister II, Prof P. Ramasamy today said he regretted calling controversial preacher Dr Zakir Abdul Karim Naik "syaitan" (Satan).
Ramasamy said his statement which was uploaded on his Facebook page yesterday had angered many Muslims in the country.
He said the post was later deleted after he realised the word was not appropriate.
"He is Muslim preacher and evangelist who has nothing but hatred and contempt for non-Muslims," Ramasamy said in another post.
His statement came eight hours after a molotov cocktail was thrown into Ramasamy's service centre here, early this morning.
However, no one was hurt in the incident.
READ: DAP's P. Ramasamy office hit with molotov cocktail
Ramasamy stressed that he did not mean to hurt the feelings of Muslims in the country adding that his statement was only directed at Dr Zakir Naik.
Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar who yesterday tweeted that Dr Zakir Naik's programme in Melaka cannot go on, later said the preacher can continue his lecture series in Malaysia, as long as it did not threaten the peace and harmony of this country.
He said the police would monitor the title of the controversial preacher's lectures as long as it did not trigger any religious sensitivities and racial tensions.
Dr Zakir, who is on a tour of Malaysia, was supposed to deliver a talk titled "Similarities Between Hinduism & Islam" at Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM) this Sunday.
READ: Zakir Naik forum can still go on, with a different title
READ: 8 facts you need to know about controversial preacher Dr Zakir Naik
He will visit Sekolah Menengah Imtiaz Yayasan Terengganu in Besut and Kemaman on April 12 and 14.
Astro Awani
Tue Apr 12 2016
Ramasamy stressed that he did not mean to hurt the feelings of Muslims in the country.
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