Malaysian preacher arrested for sedition after criticising Johor Sultan's decree against Muslim-only launderette

"There was a sultan who had said Muslim-friendly launderettes are not allowed in his state. It's not right for the sultan to say such things. These launderettes are meant to show that Muslims prioritise cleanliness," he said.

"Chinese usually don't wash after they urinate or defecate. What about menstrual blood on their underwear? Or if they had hugged a dog, or spilled alcohol or food containing pork? If they want to enter a laundry, then just go to a normal one."

In an interview with The Star last month, Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar said he could not accept "this nonsense" after news broke of a Mulim-only launderette in Muar.

"This is Johor, which belongs to Bangsa Johor, and it belongs to all races and faiths. This is a progressive, modern and moderate state. This is not a Taleban state and as the head of Islam in Johor, I find this action to be totally unacceptable as this is extremist in nature," he said.

The conference - made up of Malaysia's nine Malay rulers and the governors of the four states without royalty - backed Sultan Ibrahim, as well as the Crown Prince of Perlis, who also ordered a similar launderette in the northern state to drop its Muslim-only policy.

However, in a statement yesterday, Mr Zamihan denied criticising the Johor Sultan, saying he had not mentioned the ruler's name, nor used "words that were rough, rude or that had seditious elements".

He said he was giving the media outlets seven days to retract their articles and "wild allegations" before he took legal action for defamation.

Malaysia's sedition law prohibits discourse that sparks hostility towards other races, the rulers or the government.