Al Arqam meets Malaysian official in Chiang Mai

Al Arqam meets Malaysian official in Chiang Mai

CHIANG MAI, Thailand (AFP): A Malaysian official had a brief
meeting with members of the controversial Al Arqam Moslem sect in
Chiang Mai yesterday in a bid to ease tensions, a sect official
said here.

Malaysia officially outlawed the messianic sect last Friday
for threatening public order and spreading deviationist
teachings.

The meeting, also attended by a senior official at the Thai
Foreign Ministry, was intended to pave the way for a further,
possibly higher-level meeting in September, the official, who
asked not to be named, told AFP.

Earlier, Al-Arqam spokesman Mohammad Adam said the meeting at
a Chiang Mai hotel was held at Malaysian request. "I think this
means they (the government) are giving up," he said.

Malaysian officials could not immediately be reached for
comment as Wednesday was a national holiday. The sect official
said the Malaysian representative had left Chiang Mai after the
meeting.

The Thai official attending was identified as Don Pramudwinai,
director-general of the foreign ministry's department of East
Asian Affairs. His office confirmed he was on a mission in Chiang
Mai yesterday.

Earlier, spokesmen for the Thai interior and foreign affairs
ministries denied the sect's statement they had helped arrange a
meeting and said they had no information on any talks. Provincial
officials made a similar statement.

Sect leader Ashaari Muhammad declined to attend yesterday's
meeting and instead left Chiang Mai for Phrae province after Thai
police advised Al Arqam Tuesday night of the impending Malaysian
arrival, the sect spokesman said.

Al Arqam leaders appeared to be angling for some sort of
recognition from Malaysia before moving talks to a more formal
level. "If they want a meeting, we must have a letter," another
sect official said.

On Aug. 29, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad was
quoted as vowing to crack down on Al-Arqam leaders who were
encouraging followers to defy the government. But he said there
would be no mass arrests of Al Arqam members.

His statements followed tensions at Al Arqam communities in
Malaysia after 130 members were picked up for distributing
pamphlets on the group's teachings and taking Mahathir to task
for earlier remarks against the sect.

Mohammad Adam dismissed Malaysian allegations linking Al Arqam
members to prostitution and sex slavery.

"That's not true. For one thing, members of Al Arqam must be
married to be with someone. If we're all married, how could we be
involved with prostitution?" he said.

Another sect member, Anucha Somnas, did not deny criticism
that some marriages might be as brief as 24 hours but said these
were "ceremonial marriages, not regular husband and wife
marriages, and they usually involve children."

He said there had never been any complaint or law suit from
women members over Al Arqam's practices.