Misleading Reporting by Harian Metro and Kosmo Fuelled Mobsters’ Raid on Kerajaan Langit
It’s always interesting to see how the media operate in Malaysia, in a land where censorship on truth about the government is rampant, but freedom to write anything regardless of the truth is still available provided the target is anyone other than those in the government.
It is especially so when it is exposed.
The blatant misreporting by the Malay language tabloids NST’s Harian Metro and Utusan’s Kosmo on demonizing Ayah Pink’s Kerajaan Langit has portrayed an untrue ugly image for the group who chose their own belief, and in the end, mobsters comprising local Umno supporters as well as men in uniform had raid the commune and torched the structures.
Malaysiakini’s report, Ayah Pin followers see red over media reports by Claudia Theophilus tells it all. If you are unfortunately not a subscriber, don’t worry, it has been reproduced Uncle Yap’s BeritaMalaysia yahoogroup. Alternatively, read it right here in our blog ! 
Ayah Pin followers see red over media reports
Claudia Theophilus Jul 30, 05 11:49am
Followers of Ayah Pin are enraged over the “twisted reporting” and “over-sensationalism” practiced by several Malay tabloids in their coverage of the mob attack and raid on their spiritual commune last week.
They believed that such reports had provoked the July 18 mob attack on Kampung Batu 13, dubbed the Sky Kingdom, especially in describing the giant replicas erected in the middle of the two-hectare commune.
A group of them, when met in Kuala Lumpur Wednesday, blasted “irresponsible reporters” for misrepresenting the villagers with regards to the purposes of the structures which has drawn media attention.
Citing popular Malay tabloids Harian Metro and Kosmo, they said that over the last few weeks the newspapers have been pounding on the Ayah Pin issue by running a series of damaging reports.
“We’ve never claimed that there was a Bahtera Nabi Nuh (Noah’s Ark) or a Telaga Zam-Zam (a miracle spring in Mekah) in the village,” said Omar, 40, who declined to give his full name for fear of personal safety.
“I strongly believe this kind of reporting had led to last week’s violence against the villagers and damage to private property,” he added.
Political backing?
Omar also claimed that police were seen with the mobsters who attacked the village early at dawn on July 18.
“A friend told me he knew of several policemen who were involved in the incident but was not sure if they had been in uniform or plainclothes.
“We are hearing a lot of talk about a strong political backing of the incident but proving this is going to be difficult.”
Ruzaini Razali, 44, was upset over reports that Ayah Pin and his followers had prevented a proper burial for the dead among them.
“That’s not how it happened at all. I was the one who dug a grave to bury Mohamed Ya in 2003,” he said, referring to the funeral of the hardcore follower also known as Ustaz Ya.
Mohamed Ya and his wife, Kamariah Ali, together with two other apostates, served time in the Pengkalan Chepa prison for defying a syariah court order for religious rehabilitation.
“After the village head of Tenang refused us access to the burial ground nearby, we waited for permission from the police.
“When we didn’t get any response from the police, we decided to bury him within the commune. We can’t just leave his body lying there, right?”
Ruzaini said several deceased followers of Ayah Pin have since been denied entry into Muslim cemeteries by villagers where the burial grounds were located.
“The newspaper got it all wrong. It wasn’t us who didn’t want our dead to be given a proper burial. We were prevented from doing so.
“How can the Harian Metro report be so twisted and inaccurate? We even recorded the (Mohamed’s) funeral, so you will know that we are not lying.”
Several more followers have since been buried outside the perimeter fencing of Muslim cemeteries in nearby villages.
Overseas funding
Rahim, 30, who is involved in the construction business in Kuala Lumpur, questioned news reports about Ayah Pin receiving funding from overseas.
“Where did the reporters get such information from? Who did they speak with? Ayah Pin has never asked anyone for money,” he said, declining to furnish his full name.
“I can tell you that followers contribute cash on a voluntary basis and only what we can afford. During some visits, we only give a few ringgit as a token.”
Referring to tabloid reports of Quranic verses adorning the marble tiles used to build the giant structures in the commune, he said they were “utter rubbish”.
“All building material were sourced locally. Do you think the tiles are marked with the Holy verses?
“There was one report which said Ayah Pin served followers water mixed with the ashes of a black dog. It is ridiculous to write something like this, not to mention bad intentions.”
The tiny hamlet has attracted attention, both good and bad for its inhabitants, culminating in a concerted crackdown by Terengganu authorities in recent weeks.
Several federal ministers have called for preventive detention laws to be used against Ayah Pin while the internal security ministry has maintained that he did not pose a threat to national security.
Following the torching of the structures and threats to kill the followers by mobsters, rights bodies have urged the government to nab the culprits and protect the followers’ civil liberties.
Umno is hopeless. But it’s still interesting to see what’s Pas’ stand on raiding of people’s commune fuelled by misleading news reports ? Don’t expect anything positive anyway because these bunch of monkeys even supported Taleban, don’t they ? 
