Selangor, Malaysia - The Selangor Government asked followers of the nine active deviant sects in the state to turn over a new leaf in two months or face legal action.
Chairman of the State Islamic Affairs, Youth and People Friendly Committee Datuk Abdul Rahman Palil said a majority of these followers were active in the Sepang, Gombak and Klang districts.
These nine sects were among the 23 that had been gazetted as deviant by the Fatwa Council, he said.
Abdul Rahman advised the followers to come to the Selangor Islamic Affairs Department (JAIS) and attend counselling sessions, saying that they would not be prosecuted and their identities would be kept confidential.
Since 1975, a total of 61 sects were investigated and 23 were ruled by the Fatwa Council as deviant, he said.
Abdul Rahman also said that Jais had set up a special enforcement unit to act against deviant sects in the state.
Similar units would be established in each district and they would work with the police, Immigration Department, people's volunteer corps (Rela), penghulus, village development and security committees, and mosque committees, he added.
Abdul Rahman also said that Jais would act against about 30 people from the state who were followers of the Ayah Pin deviant sect based in Terengganu.