http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2005/7/31/nation
/20050731165719&sec=nation

Sky Kingdom demolition
Update by The Star newsdesk Sunday July 31, 2005

JERTEH: The Besut district office has sent in bulldozers and heavy machinery
to tear down all the structures including its huge teapot and assembly hall
at the Sky Kindom commune in Kampung Batu 13 near here.

The operation began at 2.30pm with the help of police and FRU.

Police have sealed off the entrance to the place.
____

http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v3/news.php?id=147867

Three Wives Of Ayah Pin Detained
July 31, 2005 19:22 PM

BESUT, July 31 (Bernama) -- Three of the four wives of the Ayah Pin "Sky
Kingdom" cult leader Ariffin Muhammad, 65, were detained in a house in
Kampung Sungai Pinang in Tumpat, Kelantan Sunday.

They are his wife number two Che Jaharah Awang, 45, of Pasir Puteh,
Kelantan, wife number three Ruzilan Mukhtar, 41, of Jerangau, Terengganu and
wife number four Nik Kamariah Nik Pah, 33, also of Pasir Puteh, Kelantan.

Terengganu Islamic Religious Affairs Department (JHEAT) commissioner Shaikh
Harun Ismail said all three women were detained by a police team from the
Kelantan police at about 11am.

He said they were taken to the Jertih police station in Terengganu where
they were handed to JHEAT officers.

"The three were re-arrested by enforcement officers of the Besut religious
office at about 4pm," he told reporters here.

Shaikh Harun said the three women would be charged at the Lower Syariah
Court here Monday under Section 10 of the Syariah Criminal Offences (Takzir)
(Terengganu) Enactment 2001 for disobeying the order of the religious
authorities by being involved with the deviationist sect's teachings.

He said that upon conviction, they could be fined up to RM3,000 or jailed
for not more than two years or both.

Earlier, Nik Kamariah had been among 21 followers of the "Sky Kingdom" cult
leader who were detained during a special operation by JHEAT on July 2, and
she would be charged on Aug 23.

She is among four people who would be charged under Section 14 (B) for
possession of video compact discs (VCDs) which were against the syarak law.

The other 17 would be charged under Section 10 of the Syariah Criminal
Offences (Takzir) (Terengganu) Enactment 2001.

Ayah Pin and his four wives were earlier said to have fled from the "Sky
Kingdom" commune at Batu 13, Hulu Besut, before the compound was attacked by
a group of masked men on July 18.

Consequently, JHEAT had carried out an operation and detained 58 followers
of the deviationist sect at the commune on July 20 and charged them at the
Syariah Lower Court, here on July 21 for disobeying the instruction of the
state mufti and being involved in the sect.

However, five children and a New Zealand woman of Christian faith, Judith
Lilian, 54, had been freed of the charge.

Forty-nine followers of the movement pleaded not guilty to the charge
against them and their case had been transferred to the Kuala Terengganu
High Court for re-mention on Aug 4.

Commenting further, Shaikh Harun said JHEAT would intensify efforts to track
down Ayah Pin and his first wife, Che Minah Remeli, 58, with assistance from
the police.

He said those with information on the latest whereabout of Ayah Pin and his
first wife should get in touch with the Besut District Religious Office at
telephone number 09-6956249. -- BERNAMA
____

http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/38444

Ayah Pin followers see red over media reports
Claudia Theophilus Jul 30, 05 11:49am

Followers of Ayah Pin are enraged over the "twisted reporting" and
"over-sensationalism" practiced by several Malay tabloids in their coverage
of the mob attack and raid on their spiritual commune last week.

They believed that such reports had provoked the July 18 mob attack on
Kampung Batu 13, dubbed the Sky Kingdom, especially in describing the giant
replicas erected in the middle of the two-hectare commune.

A group of them, when met in Kuala Lumpur Wednesday, blasted "irresponsible
reporters" for misrepresenting the villagers with regards to the purposes of
the structures which has drawn media attention.

Citing popular Malay tabloids Harian Metro and Kosmo, they said that over
the last few weeks the newspapers have been pounding on the Ayah Pin issue
by running a series of damaging reports.

"We've never claimed that there was a Bahtera Nabi Nuh (Noah's Ark) or a
Telaga Zam-Zam (a miracle spring in Mekah) in the village," said Omar, 40,
who declined to give his full name for fear of personal safety.

"I strongly believe this kind of reporting had led to last week's violence
against the villagers and damage to private property," he added

Political backing?

Omar also claimed that police were seen with the mobsters who attacked the
village early at dawn on July 18.

"A friend told me he knew of several policemen who were involved in the
incident but was not sure if they had been in uniform or plainclothes.

"We are hearing a lot of talk about a strong political backing of the
incident but proving this is going to be difficult."

Ruzaini Razali, 44, was upset over reports that Ayah Pin and his followers
had prevented a proper burial for the dead among them.

"That's not how it happened at all. I was the one who dug a grave to bury
Mohamed Ya in 2003," he said, referring to the funeral of the hardcore
follower also known as Ustaz Ya.

Mohamed Ya and his wife, Kamariah Ali, together with two other apostates,
served time in the Pengkalan Chepa prison for defying a syariah court order
for religious rehabilitation.

"After the village head of Tenang refused us access to the burial ground
nearby, we waited for permission from the police.

"When we didn't get any response from the police, we decided to bury him
within the commune. We can't just leave his body lying there, right?"

Ruzaini said several deceased followers of Ayah Pin have since been denied
entry into Muslim cemeteries by villagers where the burial grounds were
located.

"The newspaper got it all wrong. It wasn't us who didn't want our dead to be
given a proper burial. We were prevented from doing so.

"How can the Harian Metro report be so twisted and inaccurate? We even
recorded the (Mohamed's) funeral, so you will know that we are not lying."

Several more followers have since been buried outside the perimeter fencing
of Muslim cemeteries in nearby villages.

Overseas funding

Rahim, 30, who is involved in the construction business in Kuala Lumpur,
questioned news reports about Ayah Pin receiving funding from overseas.

"Where did the reporters get such information from? Who did they speak with?
Ayah Pin has never asked anyone for money," he said, declining to furnish
his full name.

"I can tell you that followers contribute cash on a voluntary basis and only
what we can afford. During some visits, we only give a few ringgit as a
token."

Referring to tabloid reports of Quranic verses adorning the marble tiles
used to build the giant structures in the commune, he said they were "utter
rubbish".

"All building material were sourced locally. Do you think the tiles are
marked with the Holy verses?

"There was one report which said Ayah Pin served followers water mixed with
the ashes of a black dog. It is ridiculous to write something like this, not
to mention bad intentions."

The tiny hamlet has attracted attention, both good and bad for its
inhabitants, culminating in a concerted crackdown by Terengganu authorities
in recent weeks.

Several federal ministers have called for preventive detention laws to be
used against Ayah Pin while the internal security ministry has maintained
that he did not pose a threat to national security.

Following the torching of the structures and threats to kill the followers
by mobsters, rights bodies have urged the government to nab the culprits and
protect the followers' civil liberties.
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