T'ganu govt gets wind of attempts to revive Ayah Pin's teachings

A file picture of Ayah Pin's Sky Kingdom headquarters which was demolished in 2005.

KUALA TERENGGANU: Attempts by certain parties to revive the deviant teachings of Ayah Pin, which previously shocked the nation with the "Sky Kingdom" sect, has caught the attention of the government, says Batu Buruk assemblyman Dr Muhammad Khalil Abdul Hadi.

"Information has been received and is being acted upon by the authorities," the state information, preaching and syariah empowerment committee chairman told Bernama when contacted about allegations of attempts to revive the misguided teachings in the vicinity of Besut.

Earlier, a post on the Facebook account of "Imam Muda Kulan" revealed that the teachings of Ayah Pin, also known as Ariffin Muhamad, were being revived by certain movements in the Besut area.

Previously, the Fatwa Committee of the Terengganu Islamic Religion and Malay Customs Council (Maidam) in 1997 issued a fatwa declaring the teachings as deviant according to Section 25 of the Islamic Religious Administration Enactment 1986.

In April 2005, the Besut district Land Office issued notices to demolish several giant replicas at the headquarters of Ayah Pin, which had more than 150 followers.

Ariffin passed away on April 22, 2016, at the age of 74, at his home in Kampung Batu 13, Hulu Besut, due to old age. - Bernama