The 21 Ayah Pin followers arrested in a raid at their commune in Kampung Bt 13, Terengganu, last week have lodged a formal complaint against the enforcement authorities.

A group of three from Jerteh in Hulu Besut began submitting copies of the complaint letter to nine bodies including federal agencies and legal and human rights bodies in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

The letter by Che Suhadi Jiman on behalf of the other followers, cited various instances of alleged abuse of power and cruelty by the Terengganu Islamic Affairs Department (JHEAT) during the July 2 raid.

They want immediate investigation into their complaints and action to follow. A copy of the letter was made available to malaysiakini late last night.

Yesterday, the letter was handed to the Attorney-General's Chambers, Bukit Aman prosecution division, Public Complaints Bureau in the Prime Minister's Department and Internal Security and Public Order department.

The group completed their rounds today after visiting Istana Negara, Bar Council, Human Rights Commission of Malaysia, Dewan Negara Speaker and Suaram.

'Know the truth'

Met in Kuala Lumpur, group leader Che Suhadi said they wanted the public to know "the truth of what happened at the village that day" and "not the lies spread by some people and the media".

"The enforcement officers displayed high-handedness and failed to identify themselves by refusing to show their authorisation cards during the raid," he told malaysiakini.

"They also did not show any arrest warrants and blatantly violated the law in conducting the raid."

In addition to one police inspector, two other government officers were among the 21 arrested detained by JHEAT.

He said the Perak-based police inspector was threatened with handcuffs if he did not heed their orders.

"He (the inspector) had produced his police authorisation card and asked for the enforcement officer's in return but was shouted at."

The complainants alleged that JHEAT officers totally disregarded established rules of arrest and detention, including a failure to explain the grounds of arrest to the detainees.

"The statements were taken selectively with some being forced to make it. We were not told of our allegedly wrongdoings," said Che Suhadi.

Several women detainees, he said, had also claimed sexual harassment by male enforcement officers.

"The male officers had asked some of the women to follow them home, go for a date and become their girlfriends.

"Such deplorable behaviour and they call themselves religious enforcement officers," he scoffed.

Traumatising experience

Relating the story of several detainees, he claimed enforcement officers had barged into villagers' houses without permission to search the premises.

"They even accused some of the villagers of cohabiting despite being told they had valid marriage certificates. Another young woman was accused of the same offence with another male detainee.

"In one incident, an officer followed a young woman who ran into her room and kicked open the door before ransacking the place. He then asked her where she went for Friday prayers."

On July 3, the 21 had lodged individual police reports alleging the same. They are scheduled to be charged at the Besut syariah lower court on Aug 23.

However 65 year-old Ayah Pin, or Ariffin Mohamed (photo), managed to evade arrest.

Che Suhadi said the village's perimeter fencing was changed to barbed-wire on Saturday to "prevent subversive elements and any possibility of being framed".

"We have hired a lawyer to take the case until the Federal Court, if need be, because we haven't done anything wrong under the country's laws."

Md Jeffri Haron, a follower who has been living at the commune with his wife for eight years, said lodging a formal complaint was one way of seeking justice.

"We want to restore the dignity of our villagers and visitors. Our names have been smeared by media reports even before any action had been taken," said the 31 year-old who was not among the detainees.

"In fact, a young woman who was caught in the raid was so traumatised by the experience that she has become silent and withdrawn."

One detainee's written personal account described some of the officers as behaving "like gangsters".

The complaints covered violation of human rights and alleged selective detention by the JHEAT officers.

"Initially, 30 people of the 100-200 gathered in the village were hauled in but only 21 ended up being charged. The other nine including a 14 year-old were made bailors for the 21," said Che Suhadi.

Another complaint was over the absence of an official JHEAT stamp on the bail bond, which he said rendered it void.