Raja Bomoh repents, says his rituals were pure drama

PETALING JAYA: Ibrahim Mat Zin apologised for his bizarre rituals, admitting they were pure drama and that he has repented for mocking Islam.

The self-proclaimed "Raja Bomoh Sedunia" also promised not to repeat his "viral" antics that have been seen by people all around the world and caused embarrassment to the country.

Ibrahim claimed that he was instructed by "someone" to conduct the rituals, although he did not name the person.

"I was instructed by someone to do all this drama to protect their own interests ... When that person asked me to do it, I was the one who was at the receiving end.

"I slept at the Dang Wangi lockup for two days and in Jinjang for three days. I have repented, I promise that I will stop all these rituals," he said at a press conference organised by the Federal Territory Islamic Religious Department (Jawi) Wednesday.

He also renounced the "Raja Bomoh" title.

Ibrahim was charged in the Syariah Court on Tuesday after his arrest in Segamat on April 21 over his ritual acts.

Ibrahim pleaded guilty to charges of insulting Islam or causing people to have a negative perception of the religion.

He was also investigated for conducting a ritual in Jalan Pekeliling, Kuala Lumpur, to create rain during the El Nino season in March last year.

Jawi director Abd Aziz Jusoh said that because of Ibrahim's age and health, he was released on a good behaviour bond for six months and is to be monitored by the Federal Territory Mufti's office.

Ibrahim admitted at the press conference that his rituals were only for drama.

"All of it was drama, the shaking of the bamboo sticks. I couldn't see anything inside. I was told to shake the sticks. I took the coconuts as if they were bombs. I didn't know what I did was wrong," he said, adding that he only conducted the rituals because he loved the country, the people and his religion.

In March, Ibrahim performed a ritual outside the National Institute of Forensic Medicine at Hospital Kuala Lumpur over the assassination of Kim Jong-nam, the half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

He had also performed a ritual using coconuts and sticks on a beach in Bagan Lalang, purportedly to "defend" Malaysia from North Korea.

Ibrahim first made headlines in March 2014 when he conducted two rituals at KL International Airport supposedly to locate the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370.