Ipoh, Malaysia - Followers of Ayah Pin, the founder of the deviant sect based in Besut, Terengganu, are active in Changkat Baroh in Malim Nawar and Sungkai, Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Tajol Rosli Ghazali said.
He said the Perak Islamic Religious Department (Jaip) and police were keeping watch on their activities.
Speaking at a news conference after the State Executive Council meeting, he said about 10 followers of Ayah Pin's teachings who lived in Changkat Baroh were members of families who belonged to the sect in Terengganu.
The group in Sungkai comprising 25 people were members of a splinter group that called themselves "kumpulan Tok Ayah" (Tok Ayah group), he added.
Tajol Rosli said the State Security Council would take action against the groups through the police and Jaip once there was concrete evidence that they had deviated.
He would meet Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh in Kuala Lumpur to obtain more information about the Ayah Pin sect.
The issue would also be discussed by the Perak Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council chaired by the Raja Muda of Perak Raja Dr Nazrin Shah at a meeting soon.
"We are monitoring their activities but we cannot take action until there is sufficient evidence. If we act now, we will not win the case in the Syariah Court," the Menteri Besar said.
Jaip Director Jamry Sury, who was also present at the news conference, said the department had invited the groups for a discussion.
He said the groups held chanting sessions participated by men and women on certain nights.
According to a newspaper report today, Ayah Pin or Ariffin Muhammad, 62, was believed to be looking for a site in Perak to replace his commune in Terengganu which was raided by religious officials recently.
Ayah Pin also claimed to be able to kill or maim ill-intentioned people through thought regardless of where they may reside. The raid on his commune only saw his followers arrested and him nowhere to be seen.
However, Ayah Pin said it was not his mistake that the raiding party could not see him and that he was not afraid of being arrested under the Internal Security Act as he had done nothing wrong.
He had renounced Islam in 1998 through a deed poll but said he encouraged the people of all faiths, including Muslims, to pray.