Sabah bans 16 deviant-teaching groups

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Fatwa Council has issued a fatwa against 16 groups for deviant teachings that do not conform to the Sunnah Wal Jamaah.

The groups include Qadiani, Al-Arqam, Hizbut Tahri, Millah Abraham, Syiah, Tal Tujuh, Tarikat Hasaniah, Tariqat Naqsyabandiah Al-Aliyah, Nasrul Haq, Zikir Hasan Rimau, Kumpulan Awang Rezki, Liberalisme and Pluralisme.

Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister Datuk Mohd Arifin Mohd Arif said Qadiani moved in a small group and was active here and in Sandakan, Beaufort and Kota Marudu.

“The Hizbut Tahrir group is detected in Sandakan. These groups’ activities are monitored by the Sabah Islamic Affairs Department (Jheains), police and the Home Ministry’s Publications Control and Al-Quran Text Unit.

“This year, eight members of Millah Abraham, who fled to Sabah, were arrested.

“They have been taken to the Federal Territory Syariah Court in Kuala Lumpur for action.”

Arifin said the operation was carried out by the Federal Territory Islamic Religious Department, Jheains and police.

He said this at the state assembly sitting in response to Datuk Abd Muis Picho (Umno-Sebatik), who asked whether deviant teachings were active in the state and what actions were taken to tackle the matter.

Arifin said the state government was curbing deviant teachings following attempts to develop and expand extreme ideology among people in the state. Among the measures is to provide an explanation about the danger of having the wrong aqidah.

He said the state government did not allow preachers to enter Sabah due to security reasons.

“We had a meeting with the Eastern Sabah Security Command, and one of the briefings touched on militant groups, like the Islamic State.

“This (the group) came to be because they did not understand Islamic teachings. We don’t want these groups to come here and spread hatred.

“They must promote peace among one another despite differences in religious belief.

“Recently, two preachers wanted to give talks in Bongawan without approval (from the government).

“We didn’t allow them.”