Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - Nik Kamariah Nik Pah was just 18 when she married Ayah Pin 15 years ago. She said she agreed to become his fourth wife on a proposal by Ayah Pin’s first wife Che Minah Ramli, 58.
“I have no regrets despite our vast age gap. Mungkin dah jodoh (It was fated),” said Nik Kamariah who is from Pasir Puteh, Kelantan.
The 33-year-old mother of three children aged six, eight and 13 was in the coffeeshop at the sect's commune when The Star enquired about her.
She was among 21 followers of the deviationist cult, who were detained by the state Islamic Religious Department last Saturday.
Relating her marriage, Nik Kamariah said she had been visiting the commune for many years with her parents who knew Ayah Pin well.
At this juncture, Che Minah, who was in the coffeeshop, was asked by others to join Nik Kamariah in the interview. However, there was no sign of his other two wives.
Che Minah admitted that she had proposed the marriage between Ayah Pin and Nik Kamariah.
“I wanted someone to take care of my husband as I was getting old and she agreed,” she added.
It is learnt that Ayah Pin has five grown-up children with Che Minah and six with his third wife, Rozilan Mokhtar.
However, it is not known how many children his second wife, Jaharah Awang, bore him.
A follower claimed that Ayah Pin has 20 children but this could not be confirmed.
Meanwhile, Sky Kingdom follower Smargery Pereira claimed it was the search for God that drew her to the sect.
The 53-year-old telemarketer, who hails from Bandar Sunway in Petaling Jaya, said she had been visiting the sect’s commune here since October 2003.
“I come here almost every weekend by bus which takes about 10 hours from Kuala Lumpur,” she said.