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.