Kelantan: Police have stepped up monitoring of unregistered religious institutions in the state to prevent the misuse of such premises for deviant teachings or criminal activities.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Kelantan police chief Datuk Mohd Yusoff Mamat stated that this initiative aligns with the police’s commitment to ensuring that all religious institutions, including pondok and tahfiz centers, comply with regulations set by the religious authorities. He emphasized the strict focus on unregistered pondok and tahfiz centers to prevent activities that could disturb public harmony.

Mohd Yusoff addressed the media regarding a case involving a madrasah in Tumpat, owned by a religious teacher known as Abuya, which was allegedly used for immoral activities. He mentioned that police had collaborated with the Kelantan Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council (MAIK) to discuss the issue.

During the meeting, MAIK deputy president Datuk Mohd Anis Hussein agreed to take follow-up actions against unregistered religious institutions to ensure their compliance with existing regulations. Earlier media reports highlighted that Muhammad Aswadi Yah, 46, also known as Abuya, faced charges of sexual assault and possession of pornographic images. He was accused of committing sexual acts against a 14-year-old student and pleaded not guilty to six other charges at two separate locations between March and June.