JASIN: Authorities have detained eight individuals, including a government pensioner, suspected of following the deviant "Millah Ibrahim" teachings during four separate raids here.
The early-morning joint operation on Thursday (Nov 28) also saw the arrest of three married couples and two other men, aged between 28 and 72.
Melaka's Education, Higher Education, and Religious Affairs Committee Chairman, Datuk Rahmad Mariman, said the raids were conducted by the state Islamic Religious Affairs Department (JAIM) and the police.
"A total of 70 officers from JAIM and the police were involved in the raids at four houses, starting at 4am on Thursday," he told reporters.
The arrests followed public complaints about the spread and practice of Millah Ibrahim's teachings, which have been officially declared deviant and contrary to Islamic principles in the state.
"Those apprehended include private employees, self-employed individuals, and housewives. Their teachings were carried out online through specific applications, and they were actively recruiting new members from among their family members and acquaintances," Rahmad explained.
Several items linked to the group were seized during the raids, including books titled Ruhul Qudus Existence, Essence of the Quran, Universal Truth Way, and Spiritual Contemplation. Electronic devices such as laptops and mobile phones were also confiscated.
The suspects are being investigated under Section 63 of the Syariah Offences Enactment (State of Melaka) 1991 for insulting Islam by denying or violating an issued fatwa.
For context, Millah Ibrahim's teachings were first detected in Melaka in 2016 and declared deviant on 17 August 2017. They are among 36 groups classified as deviant in the state.
