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Ayah Pin Now An International Issue

Bernama, Malasia
July 17, 2005
www.bernama.com.my

ReligionNewsBlog.com • Monday July 18, 2005

KUALA TERENGGANU, July 17 (Bernama) — Ayah Pin has become a national and international issue and must be tackled carefully to protect the country’s image, Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh said Sunday.

In view of this the Terengganu Religious Department would continue to observe the group to gather sufficient evidence against it.

The central government should also take steps to prevent this group from expanding its activities, he said.

“The Ayah Pin issue is no longer confined to Terengganu but has become a national and international one because its followers can be found outside Terengganu and even overseas.

“Hence the central government should also be involved in tackling this problem,” he told reporters after visiting a sports complex and a stadium construction site at Gong Badak here, Sunday.

He was commenting on the statement by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Dr Abdullah Md Zin Saturday who said the authorities should detain immediately the leader of the group, Ariffin Muhammad, 65, to curtail the activities of the deviationist group.

Dr Abdullah, however said he had no power to order that action be taken against the group because it was within the scope of the state government.

Asked whether the Internal Security Act (ISA) should be taken against Ayah Pin, Idris said this was up to the central government.

He said that meanwhile, the state government would take action against those who put up several structures and replicas under the National Land Code.

These structures and replicas had been constructed in the village of the Ayah Pin group at Kampung Batu 13, Hulu Besut.

He said the former Pas state government had not taken action against those who put up the premises and replicas.