Perak acts against 'Raja Bomoh'

Perak acts against 'Raja Bomoh'

IPOH - THE Perak Islamic Religious Department (JAIPk) is investigating controversial "Raja Bomoh" Ibrahim Mat Zin, for allegedly performing rituals, which are not in accordance with Islamic beliefs, at the Leaning Tower Square in Teluk Intan last month.

Perak Islamic Education Committee chairman Mohd Nizar Zakaria (BN-Belanja) told the state legislative assembly sitting here that the case was being investigated under Section 9 (Deviationist Teaching or Practice) of the Perak Syariah Criminal Enactment 1992.

"The act by the 'Raja Bomoh' in front of the Leaning Tower had caused a stir among Muslims across the country, particularly in the state.

"Indeed, bomoh practices, which contradict Islamic teachings, could lead to syirik (polytheism)," he said in his winding-up speech. Ibrahim, 80, from Teluk Intan, faces a RM5,000 fine or three-year jail term, or both, upon conviction.

It was reported that he had used bamboo binoculars while performing the rituals before leaving the Leaning Tower Square.

Ibrahim made headlines earlier last month when he performed similar rituals at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang, purportedly to locate the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.

Earlier, Perak Youth, Sports, Communication and Multimedia Committee chairman Datuk Shahrul Zaman Yahya said 12 employers and 436 illegal immigrants were arrested in the state between Jan 21 and Feb 28 this year.

He said the foreigner nationals, comprising 132 Indonesian, 77 Myanmar, 73 Thai, 55 Bangladeshi, 35 Indian, 31 Cambodian, 24 Pakistani, seven Nepali and two Vietnamese, were detained under an integrated operation by personnel from the state Immigration Department, People's Volunteer Corps (Rela), police and the National Registration Department.

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