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Malaysia Starts Crackdown on "Satanic" Cults
KAULA LUMPUR
, July 16 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - The Malaysian government has started its assault on an occult group spreading its anti-God philosophy to youths, news agencies reported Monday.
Ministries, the police, schools and even the country's independent neighborhood watch would work together to weed out the followers of the deviant group, said to be related to the "black metal" music which espouses satanic worship, said a Malaysian official Monday.
The Home Ministry wants state police chiefs to give it a detailed report of the group's activities while the Education Ministry has asked teachers to keep records of students with indiscipline tendencies.
National Unity and Social Development minister Datuk Dr Siti Zaharah Sulaiman, who disclosed on Saturday the group's growing influence among the young, reiterated that the group was dangerous.
She said the group appeared to be active in the northern states of the peninsula.
Speaking to reporters after launching the ministry's carnival at Taman Meru here Sunday, she said Rukun Tetangga sectors would work closely with relevant authorities such as the police, Home Ministry and Religious Department to identify the culprits.
"We are on the look out for any other similar group operating in other states through the Rukun Tetangga (neighborhood watch)," she said.
In Chemor, deputy Home Minister Datuk Zainal Abidin Zin said his ministry planned to seek the cooperation of the various religious departments once it received reports from state police chiefs.
"We have to compare the reports and ask the advice of the religious departments of the various religions.
"If it happens to Buddhists, then we will have to ask the Buddhist [chief] priest, if it happens to Christians then the same thing will be done, and if it happens to Muslims, we will have to require the advice of the Islamic Religious Affairs Department," he said.
Asked what action would be taken against such groups, Zainal Abidin said the ministry would first look into the aspects of concern to the religious culture and from which religion they were.
"If there is a practice which is against the culture of a religion in the country, then we will have to think of the action to be taken against them."
He said such groups could instill the wrong perception of freedom of religion in the community. In Sungai Petani, Kuala Muda deputy OCPD Supt Hassan Jagar said police would conduct an integrated operation involving various departments to nab teenagers involved in the occult group.
He said the group is believed to have emerged here about a month ago, adding that schools had been alerted to keep tabs on problematic students.
Several teenage groups here involved in the activities have been identified, he added.
Initial investigations by the police showed that the groups were roping in teenage boys and girls and were seen tearing holy texts of certain religions, burning them in public and worshipping idols.
"We do not know what they actually do when they go to shopping complexes in pairs, exhibiting weird behavior.
"We also learn that they are involved in free sex and are taught not to respect their parents and to go against religion," he said.
In Seremban, Education director-general Datuk Abdul Rafie Mahat told teachers to keep a profile of their students, including their behavior and family background.
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