KUALA LUMPUR, March 18 -- Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail has dismissed claims circulating on social media that controversial preacher Dr Zakir Naik has been granted Malaysian citizenship.

According to Free Malaysia Today (FMT), Saifuddin clarified that the claim originated from an old social media post.

"It is a fake post which was made more than six years ago," he told FMT.

The claim was linked to a photograph of Zakir receiving the "Pahlawan Perkasa" award from former Perkasa chief Datuk Ibrahim Ali.

"This is absolute fitnah (slander) and is aimed at misleading Malaysians and provoking them for political reasons," Ibrahim told FMT.

He further stated that Zakir remains a permanent resident and has no intention of...