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Zulkifli Noordin

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In this Malay name, there is no surname or family name. The name Noordin is a patronymic, and the person should be referred to by their given name, Zulkifli.
Yang Berbahagia Datuk Seri
Zulkifli Noordin
SMW DIMP
ذوالکيفلي نورالدين‎
Member of the Malaysian Parliament
for Kulim–Bandar Baharu, Kedah
In office
8 March 2008 – 5 May 2013
Preceded byAbdul Kadir Sheikh Fadzir
(BN–UMNO)
Succeeded byAbdul Aziz Sheikh Fadzir
(BN–UMNO)
Personal details
Born (1962-02-19) 19 February 1962 (age 62)
Baling, Kedah, Federation of Malaya (now Malaysia)
Political partyUMNO (2013-present)
Independent (2010–2013)
PKR (2008–2010)
PAS (1997–2008)[1]
OccupationPolitician
ProfessionSharia lawyer
Websitezul4kulim.blogspot.com

Datuk Seri Zulkifli Noordin (born 19 February 1962) is a Malaysian politician and a former Member of the Parliament of Malaysia for the Kulim–Bandar Baharu constituency in Kedah. He held the seat as an Independent, although having been elected on the ticket and as a member of the People's Justice Party (PKR) but was sacked in 2010. Zulkifli was also the deputy president of right-wing Malay organisation, Perkasa.

Zulkifli was elected to the Parliament in the 2008 election.[2] His election had been contested by the defeated UMNO candidate; however the court petition to overturn the result was eventually withdrawn.[3] In the 2013 election, he contested the Shah Alam parliamentary seat under the Barisan Nasional ticket and was defeated.

Zulkifli is also a Sharia lawyer.[4]

Controversies

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Allah issue

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Datuk Zulkifli Nordin was a public figure in the controversy over the use of the word 'Allah' in a Catholic publication. In response to the decision of the High Court allowing the publication Herald, Zulkifli stated "I can't understand how any Muslim can support this judgment".[5] Zulkifli also called for the resignation of a Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party MP, Khalid Samad for supporting the right of Christians to use the word 'Allah'.[6]

Dismissal from PKR

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On 6 March 2010, Zulkifli was dismissed from PKR following the unanimous decision of a party disciplinary panel arising from Zulkifli's lodging of a police report against Khalid Samad and his public criticisms of the Chief Minister of Penang, Lim Guan Eng.[7][8] Zulkifli's request to have his case heard by an all-Muslim disciplinary panel had been dismissed by the party.[9] He immediately indicated he would remain in Parliament as an Independent.[10] He has been vocal in criticising the federal opposition, especially the PKR, since his dismissal.

Insulting remarks against Hindus

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In March 2013, Zulkifli Noordin has been heavily criticised by several Hindu politicians after giving a religious sermon belittling Hinduism. A YouTube video of the speech has been circulating on social media. In his speech, he explained how he laughed at the Indian traders on why the Hindu gods could not prevent the trader's shop from being flooded. He also questioned the purity and holiness of the Ganges River, India, which is considered sacred by the Hindus, claiming that the Ganges River is filled with chicken carcasses and twigs floating. Besides that, Zulkifli also mocked the Hindu god Lord Ganesha, by questioning why the Hindus are fighting over buying the deity's statue with the trunk broken. He also questioned the holiness of the Hindu gods when he said when the broken parts of the statue can just be mended by plaster.[11]

The video clip has sparked outrage among many people from the Malaysian Hindu community. PKR vice-president and lawyer N. Surendran wants Zulkifli to be charged with Section 298A of the Penal Code for uttering words which causes disharmony, feelings of enmity, hatred or ill-will on grounds of religion. He added that Zulkifli is a close ally with Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, in which he described that UMNO and Barisan Nasional must take responsibility for the sacrilegious remarks and mockery of Hinduism.[12]

MIC central working committee member Datuk T. Rajagopalu told Zulkifli to 'shut up' and apologise for his insensitive remarks against the Hindus. He added that Zulkifli is unfit to be an MP, describing the lawyer as a half-baked lawyer and not a true Muslim man. MIC vice-president Datuk S.K. Devamany also demanded that Zulkifli apologise and withdraw his remarks. Aside from them, MIC central working committee member P. Kamalanathan condemned Zulkifli's remarks "in the harshest manner possible." Human rights group SUARAM also rebuked Zulkifli and urged voters to reject him in the upcoming Malaysian 13th general elections.[13] Hindu Sangam chief said that no legal action were taken against Zulkifli because he is a Muslim and vice-president of Perkasa.[14]

Zulkifli later apologised on 1 April 2013 for hurting the feelings of the Indian community. This change of sentiment was most probably due to the upcoming 13th general election.[15]

Zulkifli Nordin also states that his statement was made during his days in PAS and he was remorseful for his actions. He also added he had made a lot of mistakes during his tenure as a PAS member and also as a lawyer for Anwar Ibrahim. One of those mistake is the remarks he made to the Hindu community in Malaysia. The video resurfaced only recently after he was ousted by the Pakatan Rakyat and now he is facing attacks from his former colleague even though no PAS members made any statements during Zulkifli Nordin's tenure as a representative from PAS.[16]

Insensitive remarks on the passing of Karpal Singh

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On 17 April 2014, Zulkifli Noordin commented that Allah had killed off Karpal had received swift criticisms from Barisan Nasional and Opposition MPs.[17]

Election results

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Parliament of Malaysia[18][19][20]
Year Constituency Candidate Votes Pct Opponent(s) Votes Pct Ballots cast Majority Turnout
2004 P112 Kuala Langat, Selangor Zulkifli Noordin (PKR) 12,623 27.01% Shafie Salleh (UMNO) 34,118 72.99% 48,694 21,495 77.11%
2008 P018 Kulim–Bandar Baharu, Kedah Zulkifli Noordin (PKR) 22,255 57.17% Abd. Aziz Sheikh Fadzir (UMNO) 16,672 42.83% 40,182 5,583 77.28%
2013 P108 Shah Alam, Selangor Zulkifli Noordin (UMNO) 38,070 43.72% Khalid Abdul Samad (PAS) 49,099 56.28% 88,128 10,939 88.17%

Honours

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References

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  1. ^ Zul Noordin lost PAS membership in 2008, says sec-gen Archived 29 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine, Adib Zalkapli, 7 July 2010, The Malaysian Insider
  2. ^ "Malaysia Decides 2008". The Star (Malaysia). Archived from the original on 9 April 2008. Retrieved 20 December 2009.
  3. ^ "Aziz Sheikh Fadzir Withdraws Petition Against Zulkifli Noordin". mysinchew.com. 13 October 2008. Retrieved 21 December 2009.
  4. ^ "Biodata". Retrieved 23 May 2010.
  5. ^ Kuppusamy, Baradan (8 January 2010). "Can Christians say 'Allah'? In Malaysia, Muslims say No". TIME Magazine. Archived from the original on 11 January 2010. Retrieved 10 January 2010.
  6. ^ "MPs lock horns over Allah issue". The Star. 4 January 2010. Retrieved 11 January 2010.
  7. ^ "PKR sacks Zul". Malaysian Mirror. 6 March 2010. Retrieved 7 March 2010.
  8. ^ "PKR sacks Zulkifli Noordin". TheStar Online. 7 March 2010. Retrieved 7 March 2010.
  9. ^ Samy, Florence M (5 March 2010). "PKR sacks Zul Noordin (Update)". The Star. Star Publications (Malaysia). Retrieved 6 March 2010.
  10. ^ Chooi, Clara (7 March 2010). "Zulkifli won't appeal, will stay as MP". The Malaysian Insider. Retrieved 6 March 2010.
  11. ^ "Zul Noordin asks why Hindu gods did not stop flood". Archived from the original on 31 March 2013. Retrieved 29 March 2013.
  12. ^ "Charge insolent Zul Noordin". Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 29 March 2013.
  13. ^ "MIC leaders tell Zul Noordin to 'shut up' and apologise". Archived from the original on 31 March 2013. Retrieved 29 March 2013.
  14. ^ "No action so far against Zul Noordin 'because he is Muslim', says Hindu Sangam chief".
  15. ^ "Zulkifli Noordin apologises to Indian community over remarks in video clip". Archived from the original on 3 April 2013. Retrieved 5 April 2013.
  16. ^ News."I am sorry, Zulkifli tells Hindus", The Star, Kuala Lumpur, 2 April 2013. Retrieved on 18 April 2013.
  17. ^ "Opposition MPs censure Karpal's critics for insensitive remarks". The Malaysian Insider. 17 April 2014.
  18. ^ "Keputusan Pilihan Raya Umum Parlimen/Dewan Undangan Negeri" (in Malay). Election Commission of Malaysia. Retrieved 4 February 2017. Percentage figures based on total turnout.
  19. ^ "Malaysia General Election". undiinfo Malaysian Election Data. Malaysiakini. Retrieved 4 February 2017. Results only available from the 2004 election.
  20. ^ "KEPUTUSAN PILIHAN RAYA UMUM 13". Sistem Pengurusan Maklumat Pilihan Raya Umum (in Malay). Election Commission of Malaysia. Archived from the original on 14 March 2021. Retrieved 24 March 2017.
  21. ^ "Carian Penerima". pingat.kwp.gov.my.
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