"These people are really nice, friendly and kind. They work hard for a living, are self-sustaining and very skillful with their hands especially in welding, carpentry and construction work.

"I've never seen them at odds with others. They are a peace-loving people who mind their own business."

Lee Gim Choon, a Malaysian Chinese in his 40s who owns a furniture shop in Pasir Puteh, Kelantan, was giving a running commentary about life in the village based on what he had learnt while doing business with the villagers.

Some of them had bought household furniture from him and owed him monthly instalments but instead of collecting money, Lee and his assistant Sabri were greeted by an eerie silence rising from the damaged ruins of the deserted village last Friday.

At dawn last Monday, dozens of armed, masked mobsters attacked, smashed and torched vehicles and buildings in the two-hectare 'Sky Kingdom' commune at Kampung Batu 13 in Hulu Besut, leaving the 140-odd dwellers traumatised and living in fear.

Two days later, about 60 of them were arrested by religious authorities for being followers of Ayah Pin, or Ariffin Mohammad, 65.

Terengganu religious authorities have offered a reward for the capture of the elusive self-styled spiritual leader who expounds the philosophy of religious unity and has occasionally claimed to be God.

The tiny hamlet, 45 minutes from Kota Baru and two-and-a-half hours from Kuala Terengganu, fast gained popularity through word of mouth about its centrepiece comprising giant replicas of an umbrella, teapot, crescent-moon and other structures claimed to symbolise the universality of religions.

Gifted with different talents

Walking through the debris in an intermittent drizzle, Lee said it was a pity to see the beautiful architecture and workmanship go to waste.

"I wonder what will happen to all this now. What would become of the structures? I've seen the men work on the structures.

"They live here and are really good at their work, gifted with different talents. The women also earn some money by selling palm sugar and other produce," he said.

Lee estimated the centrepiece of structures to be worth at least RM2 million, noting the unique design and quality material used.

"Maybe the government should repair the buildings, clean the place up and open it to the public as a recreational park."

But not everyone shared his sentiments for followers of Ayah Pin (right), a man Terengganu authorities consider as a dangerous deviant who poses a threat to public order and the Islamic faith as per a fatwa (religious edict) in 1997.

Less than a kilometer from the commune at a junction leading to a waterfall, a durian-seller fondly known as Pak Uda said Ayah Pin and his followers have become an embarrassment to the local community.

"Sometimes, he stops here for drinks with a few of his followers. I serve them but I avoid any small talk. I've known him for years but the authorities have been ignoring their existence.

"People who know him usually stay away from all of them," he said when met at his fruit stall.

Scary stories

Back in Jerteh town 15 minutes from Kampung Batu 13, several shopkeepers and locals showed mixed reaction over the Ayah Pin issue.

"The PAS government previously did not do much to eliminate the group. See how big they have grown now. I heard the followers come from as far as Perak and Johor," said a young cybercafe operator.

A youth called Khairul who mans a food stall with his friend at night said he has heard of Ayah Pin but has never been anywhere near the commune.

"I've heard some scary stories about him, like vanishing acts and some weird sounds at night but I don't know if these are true as I haven't been to the village myself," he said.

His friend Shamsul said he had visited the village after hearing all kinds of stories from nearby villagers but didn't find anything unusual except for the giant structures.

A young lady at a motel front desk in Jerteh said someone had told her at the height of the crackdown on the village last week that Ayah Pin had escaped via a tunnel leading from the commune to the forested hills beyond.

"This person was convinced that there was a special tunnel built for Ayah Pin to escape," she said, declining to be named.

"In fact, the joke now is that he had ascended into the clouds to the Sky Kingdom. I think some people have taken this to be true."

Political implications

While many were following newspaper and television news on Ayah Pin, there were some who questioned the political implications of the issue.

"Why are the authorities cracking down on Ayah Pin and his followers only now? It is common knowledge that Umno leaders had canvassed votes at the village for the 2004 general election.

"It is no surprise that Barisan Nasional won in this area. We know that Ayah Pin and his people have voted for them," said one of the taxi drivers waiting for passengers at the new bus terminal.

When approached, a group of people having breakfast in a nearby restaurant felt that the purported crackdown was a political sandiwara or shadow-play by the ruling party.

The more vocal among them said the mob attack could have been masterminded by local politicians attempting to overcome the embarrassment of their constituency being a stronghold of Muslim deviants.

"We don't know for sure what is happening here now because the authorities have previously arrested Ayah Pin's followers but let them go due to insufficient evidence and such.

"How come suddenly we have a group of men claiming to be locals attacking the village and followed by a raid by the religious department?"

Locals, while heaving a sigh of relief over the action against Ayah Pin, conceded that there was more to it than what the public knew.