Friday May 4, 2007
‘Ghostbusters’ to exorcise deviants
By IAN MCINTYRE
KOTA BARU: Kelantan religious authorities are going to call some “ghostbusters” to clean up strange things happening in some neighbourhoods.
Also called doktor syaitan by people here, they are well versed in the Quran and draw inspiration from its verses to drive out evil spirits believed to dwell in deviant groups.
It is learnt that some enforcement officers sent out to investigate deviant groups sometimes end up being their followers.
“Perhaps meals or drinks served to the officers were spiked,” Kelantan Islamic Affairs Department director Ab Aziz Ab Rahman told reporters yesterday.
“Otherwise, it does not make sense how a person with strong faith can easily be overcome by deviant teachings.
“This is where exorcism may be needed to flush out the unhealthy elements through spiritual Islamic techniques,” he added.
Ab Aziz was speaking at a press conference to give details of the state missionary month that will be launched by Mentri Besar Datuk Nik Abdul Nik Mat here on May 13.
Ab Aziz added that using Quranic justification for exorcism was among the measures the state religious authorities planned to take to pull deviant followers back to the correct path.
The department has identified 16 deviant groups, each with 50 to 60 followers, which had surfaced in the state over the past decade.
Ab Aziz said action had been taken against most of these groups, whose leaders had been brought to the Syariah Court to face charges.
News Poll
- Court ruling takes bite out of local council summonses
- Chin Peng apologises for death of innocents
- Girl and stepmum held over bid to kill first wife
- New evidence on MCA snoop squad case arrives at doorstep
- Biggest karaoke session a blast
- Teoh’s body exhumed for second autopsy today
- Victim’s dad nabs kidnapper
- Foreigner falls to her death from condominium
- Puad faces flak over ‘use Bahasa only’ remark
- Big impact in ‘small’ man’s win
- Court ruling takes bite out of local council summonses
- Big impact in ‘small’ man’s win
- No licence to try offenders
- Johor set to be a medical hub
- Joy for 2,500 housebuyers as SPNB takes over project
- Malaysians must get regular dental checks
- RM849mil owed by various state agencies
- Indonesia seizes ammonium nitrate shipment from Malaysia
- Puad faces flak over ‘use Bahasa only’ remark
- Heading in the right direction
RSS
