Rufaqa’ raid in Rawang, Selangor 
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RAWANG: A team of 70 officers from the Selangor Religious Department (Jais) and police raided a business centre in Bandar Country Homes, believed to be dominated by businesses linked to Rufaqa' Corporation Sdn Bhd.
Three people including a teenage boy were picked up for questioning.
Rufaqa' is believed to be involved in deviationist practices and ideologies and is said to be trying to revive the teachings of the banned al-Arqam movement.
However, none of the business operators put up an opposition during the raid that lasted more than 90 minutes yesterday.
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Taking away: Jais officers removing huge pictures of Ashaari from business premisesat Rawang yesterday. |
The only businesses operating in the area, made up of three rows of four-storey shoplots, seemed to be those with the name Rufaqa' or those with photographs of al-Arqam founder Ashaari Muhammad, some measuring one-metre long, displayed inside the premises.
Some of the business operators met during the raid claimed that they had been warned about the raid and were told to close their businesses.
The team seized items including religious books, books and photographs of Ashaari, CDs on religion and children's learning skills, paintings and posters related to Ashaari or Rufaqa'.
Selangor Islamic Affairs and Youth Committee chairman Datuk Abdul Rahman Palil said the raid was the biggest to be carried out in the state. There were 28 businesses in the area.
He said the raid was part of the operations carried out on businesses linked to Rufaqa'. The raids started three to four weeks ago in several parts of the state including Shah Alam.
The state department, he said, had identified several other areas with similar businesses operating, adding that the operations would continue until all the areas were inspected.
“This is not a storming of business premises but a reminder that they have to stop using the name Rufaqa' on banners and posters at their premises, take down pictures of Ashaari and stop distributing books on Ashaari and his teachings,” he said. More stories on Rufaqa'
