KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 21 ― Federal Islamic religious enforcers swept up 16 adults and seven children in Cheras during a raid to arrest the spread of the “Milah Abraham” sect last night, Berita Harian reported today.

According to the Malay daily’s report, the sect deviates from the teachings of Malaysia’s Sunni school of Islam. The sect is believed to have originated from Indonesia.

The group of the alleged sect’s followers were reportedly listening to a lecture by a man in his 40s at the business centre in Cheras when officers from the Federal Territory Islamic Religious Department (JAWI) burst in on them around 9.30pm.

Of the 16 detained, all were in their 30s to 50s, with five of them being women.

The children detained by the JAWI officers are believed to be the followers’ own children, with all those nabbed sent to JAWI headquarters for further investigation, the Malay-language daily reported.

The religious law enforcers also seized several items, including handphones, laptops and several copies of holy texts.

JAWI’s Assistant Chief Director of Operations Muhamad Rais Rashid said that those involved in the alleged sect would be probed under Sections 4 and 5 of the Syariah Criminal Offences (Federal Territories) Act 1997.

Under Section 4 relating to the offence of false doctrine, anyone who teaches doctrine that is contrary to Islamic law or fatwas (religious edicts) faces a maximum fine of RM5,000 or a maximum three-year jail term or a maximum whipping of six strokes or any combinations.

Under Section 5, those who propagate non-Islamic religious doctrines or beliefs among Muslims will face a maximum fine of RM3,000 or a maximum two-year jail term or both.

According to Berita Harian, Muhamad Rais said that background checks and further probe on all those nabbed will be carried out before any prosecution is carried out.

He did not rule out the possibility that the alleged “Milah Abraham” sect could have more followers.

In Malaysia, the only accepted school of jurisprudence is Sunni Islam, with all other sects including the world’s second largest school ― Shiah ― considered deviant by Islamic authorities and the government.

Recently, Putrajaya blocked Indonesian liberal Muslim scholar Dr Ulil Abshar Abdalla - who is himself a Sunni Muslim ― from entering the country over fears that he would spread teachings that would threaten the faith of local Muslims.