MB: Ensure strong case against sect

Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia - Keep it tidy and adhere to legal procedures – that is the directive issued to the Besut district office, which is taking action against the “Sky Kingdom” deviationist sect commune.

Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh, who issued the directive, said: “When a similar action was taken the last time, the procedures taken by the district officer were 'not tidy'.

“When the case was brought to court, he failed to defend it,” Idris told newsmen after launching the Universiti Teknologi Mara Family Day celebration here yesterday.

He was commenting on the action being taken by the district office to demolish the illegal structures built by sect leader Ariffin Mohamad, who is also known as Ayah Pin.

The sect had ignored the office’s one-month deadline of May 29 to demolish the structures, built on agricultural land.

The Star had last week highlighted the structures at the commune, including a tiled teapot taller than a two-storey building, a bright yellow umbrella and a giant vase.

Idris said the district office would soon summon the landowner to find out why the directive was not followed.

“If there is no cooperation, the matter will be brought to court, which will decide whether the structures should be demolished.”

The state, he said, would not allow the illegal construction of such structures.

It is learnt that the district office had sought the opinion of state legal adviser Ahmad Kamal Md Shahid on the demolition.

In his speech, Idris commended UiTM for producing 230,000 graduates since its inception in 1956.

He said the university was playing a major role in helping bumiputras advance.