The government said that the demolition of the Sky Kingdom religious commune, including its famous collection of bizarre structures such as a giant teapot and umbrella, is legal.

Idris Jusoh, the mentri besar of Terengganu where the commune is located, said the demolition was lawful and notice of the move had been served a month ago.

"This is agricultural land and such structures cannot be built on it," he was quoted as saying by the official Bernama news agency.

Despite reports the commune had a court order preventing any demolition, destruction of the commune's compound began on Sunday on the orders of the local council.

Newspaper photos showed the red-tiled roofs of the compound's buildings lying in piles of debris and a bulldozer about to destroy the white and orange teapot.

"I was told the demolition continued this morning (Monday). They are taking away the debris," said Terengganu police chief Hussin Ismail yesterday.

The destruction of the buildings, which have become a tourist attraction, were the latest developments in a series of crackdowns on Sky Kingdom leader Ariffin Mohamad, otherwise known as Ayah Pin.

Ayah Pin, a 65-year-old illiterate Malaysian, has attracted a significant following with his claims that he is God. His settlement is a popular destination for Muslim, Chinese and Indian Malaysians as well as foreign tourists but his activities have been denounced as un-Islamic.

Three of Ayah Pin's four wives were charged in a local religious court in Terengganu yesterday for being involved in "deviant" teachings, while the leader himself remains in hiding.

Infringement of religious freedom

Last month religious affairs officers detained nearly 70 of his followers for going against the teachings of Islam, while an as-yet-unidentified mob set fire to some of the commune's buildings and vehicles.

The government has said Ayah Pin does not constitute a threat to national security but has been under increasing pressure to crack down on the sect. Terengganu state authorities meanwhile have moved to break up the group.

Human rights groups have condemned the moves, saying they infringe religious freedom and the rights of minority religions.

"The saga of the Sky Kingdom shows how religious authorities use state and federal resources to punish Ayah Pin and his followers," said Masjaliza Hamzah from activist group Sisters in Islam.

"Followers of unorthodox beliefs should be treated with respect and dignity. Unless they resort to violence - and there has been no evidence of such - there is no basis to claim them a threat to the rule of law, let alone our nation's security," she said in a statement.

The issue of religion in mainly Muslim Malaysia is sensitive, especially when Muslims renounce Islam. The government is always on the lookout for what it calls deviant sects.