Ayah Pin
From The Human Rights Project
Urgent: Please write letters to protest the following human rights violations in Malaysia.
Contents |
Introduction
This summary of the Ayah Pin religious sect was compiled for The Human Rights Project at ProgressiveIslam.Org.
Background
Ayah Pin’s Sky Kingdom religious sect emerged in the 1980s in the state of Terengganu, on the east coast of peninsula Malaysia. Ayah Pin’s real name is Ariffin Mohammad. Within a few years, he had attracted more than 1,000 followers. (http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/38095)
Under the state rule of the UMNO government – which was also the ruling party at the federal level – a fatwa was issued in 1987 forbidding anyone from following the teachings of Ayah Pin. Four of Ayah Pin’s followers were convicted and jailed for deviant religious practices in 1992. After their release from custody in 1996, the four renounced Islam in 1998. In 2000, they were charged for apostasy. According the Federal Court ruling, the fact that they had attempted to renounce Islam did not free them from the jurisdiction of the Shari’ah Court. (Suaram 2004 Human Rights Report, http://www.suaram.net)
In June 2001, under the state government ruled by the Islamist opposition party, PAS, the state religious department enforcement unit arrested Ayah Pin who was subsequently convicted and jailed eleven months for insulting Islam.
In 2004, Terengganu returned to UMNO state rule – the ruling party at the federal level. In October 2004, the de-facto Minister of Religious Affairs, Abdullah Mohd Zin, announced that Ayah Pin’s group had been assessed to be a “threat to the social demographics of a Muslim society” and that action would be taken against Ayah Pin and his followers. The Minister also said that the teachings of Shi’ite Islam were prohibited for posing a threat to the unity of Muslims in the country.
In early April 2005, 21 of Ayah Pin’s followers were arrested under Terengganu’s Shari’ah Criminal Offences Act. The 21 then filed a complaint against the arrest, citing alleged abuse of power and cruelty by the Terengganu Islamic Affairs Department. (http://suaram.net/display_article.asp?ID=299)
On the 18th of July, a mob of 30 rampaged in the Sky Kingdom commune. Structures and a car were torched. According to eyewitnesses, the mob had parangs (long machetes), sticks and plastic bags containing flammable fluid. House windows and car windows were smashed. Rubber tyres were set fire to and rolled towards structures and homes.
The police arrived at around 9am to contain a group of 100 protestors who had gathered outside the compound. The police then cordoned off the village, denying entry to anyone.
On the 20th of July, 59 of the followers were arrested by the police. They were kept in the lockup overnight. The next day, they were charged under Section 10 of the Shari’ah Criminal Offences Act for violating the 1987 fatwa. One of the accused, who said that she had renounced Islam in 1999, was further charged with “insulting Islam”. All were denied bail, even though there are no non-bailable offences under the Shari’ah Criminal Offences Act. If found guilty, they could be fined a maximum of RM3,000 (USD780 approx), or jailed up to two years, or both. All except for one have pleaded not guilty. They all go to trial on Thursday, 28th July, and are expected to seek to revise their bail and also to reverse the charges.
The Mufti of the State of Perak has condoned the use of the Internal Security Act (ISA) to detain Ayah Pin. (http://suaram.net/display_article.asp?ID=307)
The ISA legislation allows for detention without trial, and there have also been several reports of detainees being tortured in prison. For more information on the ISA, visit http://suaram.net/isa/isa_info.htm.
Responses
- Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram) – a Malaysian human rights non-governmental organization – is tightly monitoring the situation. Suaram’s website is http://www.suaram.net.
- Suaram is also issuing a statement responding to the call made by the Mufti of Perak.
- Suaram has also alerted Human Rights Watch on this issue, and HRW has issued a statement regarding this matter. Sam Zarifi, deputy director of Human Rights Watch’s Asia Division, said, “It is the government’s responsibility to protect members of the Sky Kingdom from armed mobs. Instead of harassing people who are peacefully following their beliefs, the police should be prosecuting those who attacked them.” The statement can be accessed at http://www.hrw.org/english/docs/2005/07/21/malays11397.htm
- Following this, Suaram will also be alerting the UN Special Rapporteur on Religious Freedom.
Action
Please write letters:
- Calling on the authorities to drop all charges against the followers of Ayah Pin, to release immediately and to ensure their safety and the protection of their human rights.
- Demanding that the Malaysian government defend freedom of religion and belief for all its citizens.
- Asking the authorities not to use any form of detention without trial, including the ISA, against any person because it contravenes international standards of human rights.
Please address your letters to:
Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
Prime Minister
Prime Minister's office
Blok Utama Bangunan Perdana Putra
Pusat Pentadbiran Kerajaan Persekutuan
62502 Putrajaya
Telephone No. 03-88888000/88888032
Fax No. 03-88883444
Dato' Dr. Abdullah Md Zin
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department
Jabatan Perdana Menteri
Aras 9, Blok D7, Parcel D
Bangunan Perdana Putra
Pusat Pentadbiran Kerajaan Persekutuan
62519 Putrajaya
Telephone No. 03-88864006
Fax No. 03-88884952
Dato' Haji Azmi Khalid
Minister of Home Affairs
Kementerian Hal Ehwal Dalam Negeri
Aras 12, Blok D1, Presint D
Pusat Pentadbiran Kerajaan Persekutuan
62502 Putrajaya
Telephone No. 03-88868038
Fax No. 03-88891713
Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz (Chairman of the Parliamentarian Human Rights Caucus)
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department
Jabatan Perdana Menteri
Aras 4, Blok Barat
Pusat Pentadbiran Kerajaan Persekutuan
62502 Putrajaya
Telephone No. 03-88894176
Fax No. 03-88894177
Dato' Haji Noh Omar
Deputy Minister of Internal Security
Kementerian Keselamatan Dalam Negeri
Aras 12, Blok D1, Presint D
Pusat Pentadbiran Kerajaan Persekutuan
62502 Putrajaya
Telephone No. 03-88868029
Fax No. 03-88891709
Tan Sri Abu Talib Othman
Chairman of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM)
Tingkat 29, Menara Tun Razak
Jalan Raja Laut
50350 Kuala Lumpur
Fax: 03-26125620
S.S Mufti Syeikh Abdul Halim b. Abd. Kadir
Mufti Negeri Terengganu
Jabatan Mufti Negeri Terengganu
Tingkat 1, Pusat Pentadbiran Islam Terengganu
Kompleks Seri Iman
Jalan Sultan Mohamad
21100 Kuala Terengganu
Terengganu Darul Iman
Tel : 09-6252525/6263536
Fax : 09-6235411
Datuk Seri Mohd. Bakri Omar
Inspector General of Police
Ibu Pejabat Polis Bukit Aman
50560 Kuala Lumpur
Fax: 03-22731326
