I don’t fear ISA, says Ayah Pin

BY K. SUTHAKAR

JERTIH: The leader of the deviationist sect Sky Kingdom, Ariffin Mohamad, better known as Ayah Pin, is not afraid of being arrested under the Internal Security Act. 

But he wants the Government to first state his offence.  

“I’m willing to go to the police station if they summon me as I’m not scared. I did not instigate anybody. I’m only trying to unite the people of all faiths. 

“I tell Muslims to pray five times a day, and the rest to pray according to their religions,” the 65-year-old told The Star at the Sky Kingdom commune here yesterday. 

He was commenting on the statement by Deputy Internal Security Minister Datuk Noh Omar that the Government would not use the ISA at the moment to detain followers of the cult. 

(Left) Nik Kamariah, 33, Ayah Pin's fourth wife and (right) Che Minah Ramli, 58, Ayah Pin's first wife.

Ariffin said he was illiterate, as he attended school for only a year or two in the 1940s. 

But he claimed to be very knowledgeable, that he knows more than Bush (US President George W. Bush). 

Sect follower Smargery Pereira, 53, better known as Mary, described Ayah Pin as a genius although he did not understand English or other languages besides Malay. 

“He can read people’s mind and has eyes everywhere. He is omnipresent and omnipotent ... he is God and creator of the world,” she gushes. 

Smoking a cigarette, Ariffin said he had the power to see through the motives of newsmen wanting to interview him. 

“I’m speaking to you as I’m comfortable with you. But, if people come with bad intentions, I will not meet them.” 

Explaining his powers, Ariffin said he could kill or maim someone by mere thought. 

“If someone is dancing on the TV and I want to make him deaf, I can do so immediately even if he was in London,” he said. 

“But I would not to use the powers,” he added. 

Asked if he would direct his followers to leave the commune following the Government’s tough stance on the sect, he said: “I will not ask them to go because I did not invite them here in the first place.” 

“They are free to come and go. They come here in search of peace and God. They know the obstacles they have to face. 

“Even if the authorities demolish the structures, I will rebuild it. I will not give up.”  

Bernama quoted Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh as saying that the Government was gathering evidence to prosecute Ariffin. 

“We will take legal action against Ayah Pin, and the evidence is being gathered by the Terengganu Religious Affairs Department,” he said yesterday.  

Last Saturday, the department's enforcement division raided the sect’s commune in Kampung Batu 13 in Besut and detained 21 of his followers, among them a police inspector and a local rock group member. Ariffin eluded arrest. 

The detained followers were released on police bail and will be charged in the Syariah court in September. 

The teachings of Ayah Pin had long been banned by the Malaysian Islamic Development Department because they were contrary to Islam.  

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