Religious body working with cops to probe cult-like movement Wali Tujuh, says Sabah minister

KOTA KINABALU: Islamic religious authorities are working with the police to find out the extent of a cult-like movement called Wali Tujuh, which was discovered to have started from Sabah’s eastern Kinabatangan area.

State Special Tasks Minister Datuk Mohd Arifin Mohd Arif said the movement's teachings, if not nipped in their bud, could spread and potentially pose security threats in Sabah.

"We are getting more information about this Wali Tujuh from the Sabah Islamic Religious Affairs Department, which is working with the police," he said when asked to comment on the recent arrest of three alleged masterminds behind the group.

He said that such activities which use religion as part of their teachings deviate from the true religious understanding and could cause members to resort to acting in an extreme manner.

Mohd Arifin said any activity that deviates from Islamic teachings was against the Sabah Islamic Religious Council (MUIS) Enactment.

Religious authorities in the districts involved had been instructed to investigate the matter, he added.

He urged the community to refer to its religious authorities if it was unsure about new teachings such as those by Wali Tujuh.