POLICE STEP UP MONITORING OF UNREGISTERED RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS IN KELANTAN

KOTA BHARU, Oct 8 (Bernama) -- Police have stepped up monitoring of unregistered religious institutions in the state to prevent the misuse of such premises for deviant teachings or criminal activities.

Kelantan police chief Datuk Mohd Yusoff Mamat said the move is in line with the police’s commitment to ensure that all religious institutions, including pondok and tahfiz centres, operate in accordance with regulations set by the religious authorities.

“We are very firm on this matter. Our main focus is on pondok and tahfiz centres that are not registered with the Kelantan Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council (MAIK) to prevent any immoral activities that could disrupt public harmony,” he told reporters here today.

He said this when asked to comment on a case involving a madrasah in Tumpat, owned by a religious teacher known as Abuya, which was allegedly used for immoral activities.

Mohd Yusoff said police had sent two officers to MAIK a few days ago to jointly discuss the issue.

“During the meeting, MAIK deputy president Datuk Mohd Anis Hussein agreed to take follow-up action against religious institutions that have yet to register, to ensure compliance with existing laws and guidelines,” he said.

Earlier media reports stated that on Sept 11, the principal of a madrasah in Tumpat, Muhammad Aswadi Yah, 46, also known as Abuya, faced seven charges of sexual assault involving two male students and possession of pornographic images.

He was accused of committing sexual acts against a 14-year-old student and pleaded not guilty to six other charges at two separate locations between March and June.

-- BERNAMA