Independent preacher Dr Zakir Naik has issued an apology for the hurt caused by his speeches to non-Muslims.

Zakir said that he is not a racist and his remarks were "used selectively with fabrications added to them."

"I have always been a man of peace because that's what the Quran stands for. It has been my mission to spread peace throughout the world. Unfortunately, I do face detractors who try to prevent me from carrying out my mission."

"As you must have noticed for the past few days, I am being accused of causing racial discord in the country and my detractors have been using selected sentences taken out of context and adding strange fabrications into them," he said in a statement this morning.

Yesterday, Zakir was questioned for more than 10 hours by Bukit Aman police and remained there past midnight.

Zakir, who was accompanied by his lawyer Akhberdin Abdul Kader, had his statement recorded over comments he made during a ceramah earlier this month.