KUALA LUMPUR — Controversial Muslim preacher Zamri Vinoth Kalimuthu has vowed to go ahead with a rally against what he describes as “illegal houses of worship” near the Sogo shopping complex, despite clear directives from the authorities.
The rally, organised by Zamri’s group, Gerakan Anti-Rumah Anutan Haram, is set to take place tonight at 8 pm, despite explicit instructions from the Home Ministry and police for all public assemblies to be suspended during the official visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In a Facebook post, Zamri said that the gathering would proceed as planned, calling it a peaceful assembly to advocate for the rule of law against criminal trespass. He further emphasised that the rally was not connected to any race or religion.
“This rally is carried out in accordance with legal provisions without breaching any existing laws. We are following the law. Criminal trespass must be eradicated, therefore come in numbers at 8 pm at the Sogo KL compound,” Zamri wrote.
Earlier, the Home Ministry urged Malaysians to refrain from organising or participating in any public rallies during the heightened security measures for Modi’s two-day visit, which commenced today. The visit includes bilateral talks with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and meetings with members of Malaysia’s Indian community and industry leaders.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs confirmed that this is Modi’s third official visit to Malaysia.
In a statement released yesterday, the Home Ministry stressed the importance of maintaining public order and adhering to diplomatic protocols during the visit. The police were instructed to oversee security measures to ensure the visit remains incident-free.
Authorities also urged organisers of scheduled rallies to cooperate in cancelling any planned events during this time.
Zamri, who has been the subject of numerous police reports due to remarks considered offensive to the Hindu community, had previously claimed that the assembly was formally notified to the authorities under the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012, with 141 non-governmental organisations expected to participate.
The rally has sparked concern among political parties, including the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) and the Malaysian Indian People’s Party (MIPP).
Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Fadil Marsus told Scoop that Zamri and other organisers would be violating the Home Ministry’s directive if the rally went ahead. Fadil confirmed that police had not granted approval for the event and had made repeated attempts to convince organisers to cancel it. – February 7, 2026