Al-Mau'nah
Encyclopedia
The Al-Ma'unah was a militant terrorist group based in Malaysia. The group was made famous by their audacious raid on 2 July 2000 on a Malaysian Army Reserve
camp in the early hours of the morning and stealing weapons from the armoury. The group was later cornered in the village of Sauk, Perak
and was involved in a stand-off the against the Malaysian Army
and Royal Malaysian Police
forces. The siege was ended when Malaysian security forces, including the army 22nd Grup Gerak Khas
(22nd GGK) and police VAT 69 Pasukan Gerakan Khas
, stormed the camp in Operation Dawn.
, Singapore, Egypt
and Saudi Arabia
.
(Rejimen Askar Wataniah) camp at the Temenggor Dam
in Gerik
, Perak
. The group tricked their way and raided the armouries.
They had previously obtained military fatigues from various outlets and securing three units of Pajero four-wheel-drive vehicles. The Pajero, of similar make to that used by the Malaysian Army was painted green and given false number plate at a house rented in Kati
, for the specific use as a transit point for the group.
In the early hours of 2 July 2000, 20 members of the Al-Maunah group got into three Pajero vehicles and proceeded to Post 2 Kuala Rhui Camp at 2.50 a.m. and then to Camp Bn 304 Rejimen Askar Wataniah at 4.15 a.m.
They talked their way into the Camps by feigning a surprise inspection, to conduct emergency spot checks of all the ammunition stored at both camps. Impressed by the manner in Amin and the others conducted themselves and assured by the presence of the three Pajero vehicles bearing the military registration numbers beginning with the letter 'Z', the military personnel at the two army camps were duped into allowing the group to take possession of all but one of the various army weapons, ammunition and other army equipments including communication equipments and some even helped the group to carry the weapons into the three Pajeros. They took away a huge cache of firearms and ammunition, including 97 M16
assault rifles, two Steyr AUG
rifles, four GPMGs, six light machine guns, five grenade launchers, 182 M16 magazines, eight extra barrels of GPMGs, three extra barrel of LMGs, 26 bayonets, 9,095 rounds of 5.56mm and 60 rounds of 40mm ammunition.
27 of them hid themselves in the jungle in Bukit Jenalik, Sauk, in Perak
. Amin then distributed the seized arms to his members for practice. The unusual sounds of firearms alerted local inhabitants who alerted the Police. The group made preparations for the operation, including collecting food supplies and taking them to their base in Bukit Jenalik. The food dumps were to keep the base going for about three weeks. They had obtained military fatigues from various outlets and securing three units of Pajero four-wheel-drive vehicles. They also collected weapons such as parang (machete) and cross bows for the purpose of their mission.
Police threw a containment
cordon of Bukit Jenalik. A number of security personnel were deployed to penetrate the Al-Ma'unah's camp. However, two of the police personnel Sergeant (Sarjan) Mohd Shah Ahmad and Detective Corporal Sanghadevan, as well as civilian Jaafar Puteh and an army personnel, Trooper Matthews anak Medan, were taken hostage
by Al-Ma'unah. In a radio communication with the authorities, the group stated their intention to cordon off Kuala Lumpur if their demand for Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad to resign in 24 hours was unmet. Jaafar Puteh was a civilian who wandered into their camp while looking for durian
fruit.
Mohd Shah Ahmad related during the trial that over the 4 days, the security forces personnel were abused and tortured. They were made to dig trenches along the sides of Bukit Jenalik to serve as a defence in the event of an attack on the camp. At night they were tied to a durian
tree. It was that Mohd Shah Ahmad and Sanghadevan buried Trooper Matthews in one of these trenches. Trooper Matthews was apprehended by Jemari Jusoh and when the Amin realized the identity of Trooper Matthews, Amin tortured Matthews by shooting his leg. Amin then ordered the Jemari Jusoh to shoot Trooper Matthews in cold blood.
On the morning of 5 July 2000, a member of Al Ma'unah, Abu Bakar Ismail was shot by the security forces. In retaliation, the Amin and his followers returned fire against the security forces. During this cross fire, Sanghadevan was shot dead(Mohd Shah claimed that Amin shot Sanghadevan in the head twice). Sanghadevan was buried next to Trooper Matthews by Mohd Shah and Jaafar Puteh.
Mohamed Amin Mohamed Razali was the last to surrender. Just before doing so he grabbed the Malaysian Army
Field Commander, Lieutenant General
Zaini Mohamad Said
by his shirt and tried to shoot him at point-blank range. The General flicked the barrel of Amin's assault rifle and the bullet hit one of the militants. Zaini was later awarded the Seri Pahlawan Gagah Perkasa
(S.P.) award for his bravery and contribution in ending the siege without further loss of life.
Lieutenant General
Zaini Mohamad Said
went up the hill with 43 Army Commando
personnel in four armoured personnel carriers followed by 16 infantrymen after Deputy Superintendent Police Abd Razak bin Mohd Yusoff and his personnel spent two odd hours negotiated and persuaded Amin to surrender. Later, DSP Abd Razak bin Mohd Yusoff informed Zaini that the Al-Ma'unah's group leader has agreed to surrender. When they reached there, about 15 Al Ma'unah members surrendered the stolen weapons but refused to give up their parangs
which they claimed to be inscribed with Quran verses but later relented. Abd Razak bin Mohd Yusoff was also awarded the Seri Pahlawan Gagah Perkasa
for his bravery as a role of mediator
in the incident. Abdul Razak was the officer-in-charge of the Parachute
Branch, Pasukan Gerakan Khas
, Royal Malaysian Police
.
was killed, some claimed he was executed, during the siege. The group also killed an Army commando
, Trooper Mathew anak Medan, who was shot by Jemari Jusoh. Both were tortured before they were killed. The third person killed was a group member who was shot and killed when he refused to retreat.
and Carlsberg breweries in Petaling Jaya
near Kuala Lumpur
and the Hindu temple in Batu Caves
. Only minor damage was done. Members of the group, Shahidi and Roslan, later admitted to attacking the Carlsberg brewery on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur with grenade launchers stolen from the army camps.
. In June 2003, the Federal Court turned down Mohamed Amin's appeal for life imprisonment and confirmed the death sentence on him for waging war against the King.
Megat Mohamed Hanafi Ilias, Muhamad Nukhshah Bandi Che Mansor, Riduan Berahim, Azlan Abdul Ghani, Shahidi Ali and Khairul Anuar Mohamed Ariffin, were sentenced by the High Court to ten years in jail after pleading guilty to treason
, a lesser charge. They were originally charged with waging war against the King, an offence that carries the death penalty or life imprisonment
. Instead, they accepted a guilty plea in a reduced charge of preparing to wage war against the King, which refers to collecting or attempting to collect men, arms or ammunition with the intention of waging war.
15 Al-Mau'nah detainees were released from the detention of the Internal Security Act
(ISA) on 24 November 2003, however the release came with a string of conditions which included restricted residence to a particular district, the need to report to police weekly, and a 9 pm to 6 pm curfew.
prison in Selangor
on 4 August 2006, as reported by Bernama
news agency. Zahit Muslim, Jamaluddin Darus, and Jemari Jusoh were hanged a week earlier.
by the Malaysian authorities and not as a rebel
or terrorist group like Jemaah Islamiah. But for all the slickness of the two arms heists, the group's previous actions amounted to taking a few pot-shots at a Hindu
temple at Batu Caves
, breweries on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur
, and a power company's electric tower. The Al-Ma'unah case is regarded as an isolated episode in Malaysia.
The leader of the group, Mohamed Amin, was a former army private but also arrested among the 26 in the Sauk siege
included a Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) major, an analyst, an insurance agent, a Malaysia France Institute lecturer and an executive with Proton
. "It shows that how religion is used and manipulated is still a real problem in Malaysia," says Kamarulnizam Abdullah, coordinator of the Strategic and Security Studies Unit at the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
(National University of Malaysia). "The government has to do something." The Malaysian authorities clamped down hard on deviationist activities as a result of the Al Ma'unah tragedy.
Police also tightened laws on the sale of police and military uniforms. Those who wanted to trade and produce police and military uniform and insignia would need a police permit, a condition introduced following the Al-Maunah incident.
This ease projected a "shocking laxity in military discipline
and security whereby vast cache of high-calibre weaponry could be robbed from two military camps, as it involves an unacceptable degree of military irresponsibility and negligence", according to opposition
leader Lim Kit Siang. Kit Siang also questioned the death of the third person, Abdul Halim Ali, one of the gang members.
The Parti Islam Se Malaysia or PAS reiterated their belief through its Secretary-General, Nasharuddin Mat Isa, when refusing to apologise to UMNO for accusing UMNO of stage managing the tragedy.
Lim Kit Siang also questioned the Government's action in using the Internal Security Act
to detain the 27 Al-Ma’unah members arrested at Bukit Jenalik on 6 July 2000 after the five-day arms heists and hostage taking and killings instead of charging them for robbery, kidnapping
, firearms and murder is a major and multiple blow to the reputation and credibility of the Police, the Attorney-General
, the Deputy Prime Minister and the Prime Minister as its smacks of a "cover-up" operation and will undermine public confidence in the White Paper
on the Al-Ma’unah arms heists and atrocities. The Al Ma'unah group was later charged under Section 121 of the Penal Code, conviction under which carries with it two penalties in the alternative, death or life imprisonment
, and a third sentence that if the death penalty is not pronounced, a convicted person shall also be liable to a fine.
Rejimen Askar Wataniah
The Rejimen Askar Wataniah is the military reserve force of the Malaysian Army. An equivalent formation in the British Army would be the Territorial Army....
camp in the early hours of the morning and stealing weapons from the armoury. The group was later cornered in the village of Sauk, Perak
Perak
Perak , one of the 13 states of Malaysia, is the second largest state in the Peninsular Malaysia bordering Kedah and Yala Province of Thailand to the north, Penang to the northwest, Kelantan and Pahang to the east, Selangor the Strait of Malacca to the south and west.Perak means silver in Malay...
and was involved in a stand-off the against the Malaysian Army
Malaysian Army
The Malaysian Army is the land component of the Malaysian Armed Forces. Steeped in British Army traditions, the Malaysian Army does not carry the title ‘royal’ as do the Royal Malaysian Air Force and the Royal Malaysian Navy...
and Royal Malaysian Police
Royal Malaysian Police
The Royal Malaysia Police is a part of the security forces structure in Malaysia. The force is a centralised organization with responsibilities ranging from traffic control to intelligence gathering. Its headquarters is located at Bukit Aman, Kuala Lumpur. The police force is led by an...
forces. The siege was ended when Malaysian security forces, including the army 22nd Grup Gerak Khas
Grup Gerak Khas
The Grup Gerak Khas is a special forces regiment of the Malaysian Army which conducts special operations missions for the Malaysian government, such as direct action, unconventional warfare, sabotage, counter-terrorism, and intelligence gathering...
(22nd GGK) and police VAT 69 Pasukan Gerakan Khas
Pasukan Gerakan Khas
The Pasukan Gerakan Khas is an elite high-profile counter-terrorism and special operations tactical unit of the Royal Malaysia Police...
, stormed the camp in Operation Dawn.
The group
The group's full name was Persaudaraan Ilmu Dalam Al-Ma’unah (Brotherhood of Al-Ma'unah Inner Power) or Al-Ma'unah in short. The group had a website which explained that Al-Ma'unah was an organisation "involved in the teaching of martial arts particularly the development of one’s inner power and the practice of Islamic traditional medicine". The term "Ma’unah" supposedly means something extraordinary that happens to an ordinary Muslim individual (paranormal). The group claimed membership of 1000 ikhwan spread throughout Malaysia, BruneiBrunei
Brunei , officially the State of Brunei Darussalam or the Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace , is a sovereign state located on the north coast of the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia...
, Singapore, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
and Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
.
Sauk Siege
Mohamed Amin Mohamed Razali led a band of 29 Al-Ma'unah men in a mission to overthrow the Malaysian government. The group, included a serving Major in the Royal Malaysian Air Force. They dressed up in uniforms of senior army officers and claimed to be making a surprise inspection of the 304th Malaysian Army ReserveRejimen Askar Wataniah
The Rejimen Askar Wataniah is the military reserve force of the Malaysian Army. An equivalent formation in the British Army would be the Territorial Army....
(Rejimen Askar Wataniah) camp at the Temenggor Dam
Temenggor Dam
The Temenggor Dam or Temenggor Power Station is a dam in Gerik, Perak, Malaysia. It is located on Sungai Perak about 200 km northeast of Ipoh. Construction of the dam impounded Temenggor Lake.-Power station:...
in Gerik
Gerik
Gerik is a district capital town of Hulu Perak district in Perak, Malaysia. The town is also known as Rest Town owing to its strategic location next to major highways of the country, East-West Highway....
, Perak
Perak
Perak , one of the 13 states of Malaysia, is the second largest state in the Peninsular Malaysia bordering Kedah and Yala Province of Thailand to the north, Penang to the northwest, Kelantan and Pahang to the east, Selangor the Strait of Malacca to the south and west.Perak means silver in Malay...
. The group tricked their way and raided the armouries.
They had previously obtained military fatigues from various outlets and securing three units of Pajero four-wheel-drive vehicles. The Pajero, of similar make to that used by the Malaysian Army was painted green and given false number plate at a house rented in Kati
Kati
Kati is a town made up of 37 communes in Mali's Koulikoro Region, about 15 km from Bamako, Mali's capital. It has a population of approximately 40,000 inhabitants.-Economy:...
, for the specific use as a transit point for the group.
In the early hours of 2 July 2000, 20 members of the Al-Maunah group got into three Pajero vehicles and proceeded to Post 2 Kuala Rhui Camp at 2.50 a.m. and then to Camp Bn 304 Rejimen Askar Wataniah at 4.15 a.m.
They talked their way into the Camps by feigning a surprise inspection, to conduct emergency spot checks of all the ammunition stored at both camps. Impressed by the manner in Amin and the others conducted themselves and assured by the presence of the three Pajero vehicles bearing the military registration numbers beginning with the letter 'Z', the military personnel at the two army camps were duped into allowing the group to take possession of all but one of the various army weapons, ammunition and other army equipments including communication equipments and some even helped the group to carry the weapons into the three Pajeros. They took away a huge cache of firearms and ammunition, including 97 M16
M16 rifle
The M16 is the United States military designation for the AR-15 rifle adapted for both semi-automatic and full-automatic fire. Colt purchased the rights to the AR-15 from ArmaLite, and currently uses that designation only for semi-automatic versions of the rifle. The M16 fires the 5.56×45mm NATO...
assault rifles, two Steyr AUG
Steyr AUG
The AUG is an Austrian bullpup 5.56mm assault rifle, designed in the early 1970s by Steyr Mannlicher GmbH & Co KG . The AUG was adopted by the Austrian Army as the StG 77 in 1977, where it replaced the 7.62mm StG 58 automatic rifle...
rifles, four GPMGs, six light machine guns, five grenade launchers, 182 M16 magazines, eight extra barrels of GPMGs, three extra barrel of LMGs, 26 bayonets, 9,095 rounds of 5.56mm and 60 rounds of 40mm ammunition.
27 of them hid themselves in the jungle in Bukit Jenalik, Sauk, in Perak
Perak
Perak , one of the 13 states of Malaysia, is the second largest state in the Peninsular Malaysia bordering Kedah and Yala Province of Thailand to the north, Penang to the northwest, Kelantan and Pahang to the east, Selangor the Strait of Malacca to the south and west.Perak means silver in Malay...
. Amin then distributed the seized arms to his members for practice. The unusual sounds of firearms alerted local inhabitants who alerted the Police. The group made preparations for the operation, including collecting food supplies and taking them to their base in Bukit Jenalik. The food dumps were to keep the base going for about three weeks. They had obtained military fatigues from various outlets and securing three units of Pajero four-wheel-drive vehicles. They also collected weapons such as parang (machete) and cross bows for the purpose of their mission.
Police threw a containment
Containment
Containment was a United States policy using military, economic, and diplomatic strategies to stall the spread of communism, enhance America’s security and influence abroad, and prevent a "domino effect". A component of the Cold War, this policy was a response to a series of moves by the Soviet...
cordon of Bukit Jenalik. A number of security personnel were deployed to penetrate the Al-Ma'unah's camp. However, two of the police personnel Sergeant (Sarjan) Mohd Shah Ahmad and Detective Corporal Sanghadevan, as well as civilian Jaafar Puteh and an army personnel, Trooper Matthews anak Medan, were taken hostage
Hostage
A hostage is a person or entity which is held by a captor. The original definition meant that this was handed over by one of two belligerent parties to the other or seized as security for the carrying out of an agreement, or as a preventive measure against certain acts of war...
by Al-Ma'unah. In a radio communication with the authorities, the group stated their intention to cordon off Kuala Lumpur if their demand for Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad to resign in 24 hours was unmet. Jaafar Puteh was a civilian who wandered into their camp while looking for durian
Durian
The durian is the fruit of several tree species belonging to the genus Durio and the Malvaceae family . Widely known and revered in southeast Asia as the "king of fruits", the durian is distinctive for its large size, unique odour, and formidable thorn-covered husk...
fruit.
Mohd Shah Ahmad related during the trial that over the 4 days, the security forces personnel were abused and tortured. They were made to dig trenches along the sides of Bukit Jenalik to serve as a defence in the event of an attack on the camp. At night they were tied to a durian
Durian
The durian is the fruit of several tree species belonging to the genus Durio and the Malvaceae family . Widely known and revered in southeast Asia as the "king of fruits", the durian is distinctive for its large size, unique odour, and formidable thorn-covered husk...
tree. It was that Mohd Shah Ahmad and Sanghadevan buried Trooper Matthews in one of these trenches. Trooper Matthews was apprehended by Jemari Jusoh and when the Amin realized the identity of Trooper Matthews, Amin tortured Matthews by shooting his leg. Amin then ordered the Jemari Jusoh to shoot Trooper Matthews in cold blood.
On the morning of 5 July 2000, a member of Al Ma'unah, Abu Bakar Ismail was shot by the security forces. In retaliation, the Amin and his followers returned fire against the security forces. During this cross fire, Sanghadevan was shot dead(Mohd Shah claimed that Amin shot Sanghadevan in the head twice). Sanghadevan was buried next to Trooper Matthews by Mohd Shah and Jaafar Puteh.
Surrender
The Al-Ma'unah group later surrendered, and the leaders brought to trial for "waging war upon the King". The Malaysian Government acted against the Al-Ma'unah group only after giving it every chance to surrender and retained public support by giving the Al-Ma'unah members fair trials and re-integrating them into society.Mohamed Amin Mohamed Razali was the last to surrender. Just before doing so he grabbed the Malaysian Army
Malaysian Army
The Malaysian Army is the land component of the Malaysian Armed Forces. Steeped in British Army traditions, the Malaysian Army does not carry the title ‘royal’ as do the Royal Malaysian Air Force and the Royal Malaysian Navy...
Field Commander, Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
Zaini Mohamad Said
Zaini Mohamad Said
Lieutenant General Dato' Seri Zaini Mohamad Said is a retired Malaysian Army general officer with the last rank, Leftenan Jeneral and last position as the Malaysian Army Field Commander...
by his shirt and tried to shoot him at point-blank range. The General flicked the barrel of Amin's assault rifle and the bullet hit one of the militants. Zaini was later awarded the Seri Pahlawan Gagah Perkasa
Seri Pahlawan Gagah Perkasa
The Seri Pahlawan Gagah Perkasa is the highest federal award which can be presented in Malaysia. It was created on 29 July 1960 and was gazetted on 11 August 1969....
(S.P.) award for his bravery and contribution in ending the siege without further loss of life.
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
Zaini Mohamad Said
Zaini Mohamad Said
Lieutenant General Dato' Seri Zaini Mohamad Said is a retired Malaysian Army general officer with the last rank, Leftenan Jeneral and last position as the Malaysian Army Field Commander...
went up the hill with 43 Army Commando
Commando
In English, the term commando means a specific kind of individual soldier or military unit. In contemporary usage, commando usually means elite light infantry and/or special operations forces units, specializing in amphibious landings, parachuting, rappelling and similar techniques, to conduct and...
personnel in four armoured personnel carriers followed by 16 infantrymen after Deputy Superintendent Police Abd Razak bin Mohd Yusoff and his personnel spent two odd hours negotiated and persuaded Amin to surrender. Later, DSP Abd Razak bin Mohd Yusoff informed Zaini that the Al-Ma'unah's group leader has agreed to surrender. When they reached there, about 15 Al Ma'unah members surrendered the stolen weapons but refused to give up their parangs
Parang (knife)
The parang is the Indonesia equivalent of the machete. Typical vegetation in South East Asia is more woody than in South America and the parang is therefore optimized for a stronger chopping action with a heavier blade and a "sweet spot" further forward of the handle, the blade is also beveled more...
which they claimed to be inscribed with Quran verses but later relented. Abd Razak bin Mohd Yusoff was also awarded the Seri Pahlawan Gagah Perkasa
Seri Pahlawan Gagah Perkasa
The Seri Pahlawan Gagah Perkasa is the highest federal award which can be presented in Malaysia. It was created on 29 July 1960 and was gazetted on 11 August 1969....
for his bravery as a role of mediator
Mediation
Mediation, as used in law, is a form of alternative dispute resolution , a way of resolving disputes between two or more parties. A third party, the mediator, assists the parties to negotiate their own settlement...
in the incident. Abdul Razak was the officer-in-charge of the Parachute
Parachute
A parachute is a device used to slow the motion of an object through an atmosphere by creating drag, or in the case of ram-air parachutes, aerodynamic lift. Parachutes are usually made out of light, strong cloth, originally silk, now most commonly nylon...
Branch, Pasukan Gerakan Khas
Pasukan Gerakan Khas
The Pasukan Gerakan Khas is an elite high-profile counter-terrorism and special operations tactical unit of the Royal Malaysia Police...
, Royal Malaysian Police
Royal Malaysian Police
The Royal Malaysia Police is a part of the security forces structure in Malaysia. The force is a centralised organization with responsibilities ranging from traffic control to intelligence gathering. Its headquarters is located at Bukit Aman, Kuala Lumpur. The police force is led by an...
.
Deaths
Three people were killed before the group finally surrendered. Detective Corporal R. Saghadevan of the Special BranchMalaysian Special Branch
The Special Branch or SB is an intelligence agency attached to the Royal Malaysian Police. The SB is empowered to acquire and develop intelligence on internal and external threats to the nation, subversive activities, extremist activities and activities of sabotage and spying...
was killed, some claimed he was executed, during the siege. The group also killed an Army commando
Commando
In English, the term commando means a specific kind of individual soldier or military unit. In contemporary usage, commando usually means elite light infantry and/or special operations forces units, specializing in amphibious landings, parachuting, rappelling and similar techniques, to conduct and...
, Trooper Mathew anak Medan, who was shot by Jemari Jusoh. Both were tortured before they were killed. The third person killed was a group member who was shot and killed when he refused to retreat.
Other Attacks
Mohamed Amin Mohamed Razali also sent members to bomb the AnchorAnchor Brewing Company
Anchor Brewing Company is an American alcoholic beverage producer, operating a brewery and distillery on Potrero Hill in San Francisco, California. The brewery was founded in 1896 and was purchased by Frederick Louis Maytag III, in 1965, saving it from closure. It moved to its current location in...
and Carlsberg breweries in Petaling Jaya
Petaling Jaya
Petaling Jaya is a Malaysian city originally developed as a satellite township for Kuala Lumpur comprising mostly residential and some industrial areas. It is located in the Petaling district of Selangor with an area of approximately 97.2 km². On 20 June 2006, Petaling Jaya was granted a...
near Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
and the Hindu temple in Batu Caves
Batu Caves
Batu Caves , is a limestone hill, which has a series of caves and cave temples, located in Gombak district, north of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It takes its name from the Sungai Batu or Batu River, which flows past the hill. Batu Caves is also the name of the nearby village.The cave is one of the...
. Only minor damage was done. Members of the group, Shahidi and Roslan, later admitted to attacking the Carlsberg brewery on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur with grenade launchers stolen from the army camps.
Trial and Sentence
Mohamed Amin and his group were brought to trial for charges of "waging war against the King", and became the first people convicted of such offence in Malaysia. Amin and his two lieutenants, Zahit Muslim(ex-police VAT-69 commando) and Jamaluddin Darus, were sentenced to death. Sixteen others were given life sentencesLife imprisonment
Life imprisonment is a sentence of imprisonment for a serious crime under which the convicted person is to remain in jail for the rest of his or her life...
. In June 2003, the Federal Court turned down Mohamed Amin's appeal for life imprisonment and confirmed the death sentence on him for waging war against the King.
Megat Mohamed Hanafi Ilias, Muhamad Nukhshah Bandi Che Mansor, Riduan Berahim, Azlan Abdul Ghani, Shahidi Ali and Khairul Anuar Mohamed Ariffin, were sentenced by the High Court to ten years in jail after pleading guilty to treason
Treason
In law, treason is the crime that covers some of the more extreme acts against one's sovereign or nation. Historically, treason also covered the murder of specific social superiors, such as the murder of a husband by his wife. Treason against the king was known as high treason and treason against a...
, a lesser charge. They were originally charged with waging war against the King, an offence that carries the death penalty or life imprisonment
Life imprisonment
Life imprisonment is a sentence of imprisonment for a serious crime under which the convicted person is to remain in jail for the rest of his or her life...
. Instead, they accepted a guilty plea in a reduced charge of preparing to wage war against the King, which refers to collecting or attempting to collect men, arms or ammunition with the intention of waging war.
15 Al-Mau'nah detainees were released from the detention of the Internal Security Act
Internal Security Act (Malaysia)
The Internal Security Act 1960 is a preventive detention law in force in Malaysia. The legislation was enacted after Malaysia gained independence from Britain in 1957. The ISA allows for detention without trial or criminal charges under limited, legally defined circumstances...
(ISA) on 24 November 2003, however the release came with a string of conditions which included restricted residence to a particular district, the need to report to police weekly, and a 9 pm to 6 pm curfew.
Mohamed Amin Mohamed Razali hanged
Mohamed Amin Mohamed Razali, leader of a militant group, was hanged at the Sungai BulohSungai Buloh
Sungai Buloh is a subdistrict of Petaling District in the state of Selangor, Malaysia, bordering Gombak District. It is a 15-minute drive from Sungai Buloh to Kuala Lumpur, the national capital...
prison in Selangor
Selangor
Selangor also known by its Arabic honorific, Darul Ehsan, or "Abode of Sincerity") is one of the 13 states of Malaysia. It is on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and is bordered by Perak to the north, Pahang to the east, Negeri Sembilan to the south and the Strait of Malacca to the west...
on 4 August 2006, as reported by Bernama
BERNAMA
BERNAMA is a news agency of the government of Malaysia. It is an autonomous body placed under the Information, Culture and Communications Ministry. It was set up by an Act of Parliament in 1967 and started work on 26 May 1968....
news agency. Zahit Muslim, Jamaluddin Darus, and Jemari Jusoh were hanged a week earlier.
Social impact
Al-Ma'unah is characterized as a sectSect
A sect is a group with distinctive religious, political or philosophical beliefs. Although in past it was mostly used to refer to religious groups, it has since expanded and in modern culture can refer to any organization that breaks away from a larger one to follow a different set of rules and...
by the Malaysian authorities and not as a rebel
Rebellion
Rebellion, uprising or insurrection, is a refusal of obedience or order. It may, therefore, be seen as encompassing a range of behaviors aimed at destroying or replacing an established authority such as a government or a head of state...
or terrorist group like Jemaah Islamiah. But for all the slickness of the two arms heists, the group's previous actions amounted to taking a few pot-shots at a Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
temple at Batu Caves
Batu Caves
Batu Caves , is a limestone hill, which has a series of caves and cave temples, located in Gombak district, north of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It takes its name from the Sungai Batu or Batu River, which flows past the hill. Batu Caves is also the name of the nearby village.The cave is one of the...
, breweries on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
, and a power company's electric tower. The Al-Ma'unah case is regarded as an isolated episode in Malaysia.
The leader of the group, Mohamed Amin, was a former army private but also arrested among the 26 in the Sauk siege
Siege
A siege is a military blockade of a city or fortress with the intent of conquering by attrition or assault. The term derives from sedere, Latin for "to sit". Generally speaking, siege warfare is a form of constant, low intensity conflict characterized by one party holding a strong, static...
included a Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) major, an analyst, an insurance agent, a Malaysia France Institute lecturer and an executive with Proton
Proton
The proton is a subatomic particle with the symbol or and a positive electric charge of 1 elementary charge. One or more protons are present in the nucleus of each atom, along with neutrons. The number of protons in each atom is its atomic number....
. "It shows that how religion is used and manipulated is still a real problem in Malaysia," says Kamarulnizam Abdullah, coordinator of the Strategic and Security Studies Unit at the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
The National University of Malaysia is a public university located in Bangi, Selangor which is about 35 km south of Kuala Lumpur...
(National University of Malaysia). "The government has to do something." The Malaysian authorities clamped down hard on deviationist activities as a result of the Al Ma'unah tragedy.
Police also tightened laws on the sale of police and military uniforms. Those who wanted to trade and produce police and military uniform and insignia would need a police permit, a condition introduced following the Al-Maunah incident.
Political Impact
Some people believed that the Sauk incident was stage managed by the Government of Malaysia under then Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad. This belief was because of the apparent ease that the Al Ma'unah Group talked their way through the army guards into allowing them into the camp and seizing the arms and ammunition.This ease projected a "shocking laxity in military discipline
Discipline
In its original sense, discipline is referred to systematic instruction given to disciples to train them as students in a craft or trade, or to follow a particular code of conduct or "order". Often, the phrase "to discipline" carries a negative connotation. This is because enforcement of order –...
and security whereby vast cache of high-calibre weaponry could be robbed from two military camps, as it involves an unacceptable degree of military irresponsibility and negligence", according to opposition
Opposition (Malaysia)
The Opposition in Malaysia is a term used to describe political parties represented in the Parliament of Malaysia that are not in government either on their own or as part of a governing coalition. Note that this article uses the term government as it is used in parliamentary systems, i.e...
leader Lim Kit Siang. Kit Siang also questioned the death of the third person, Abdul Halim Ali, one of the gang members.
The Parti Islam Se Malaysia or PAS reiterated their belief through its Secretary-General, Nasharuddin Mat Isa, when refusing to apologise to UMNO for accusing UMNO of stage managing the tragedy.
Lim Kit Siang also questioned the Government's action in using the Internal Security Act
Internal Security Act (Malaysia)
The Internal Security Act 1960 is a preventive detention law in force in Malaysia. The legislation was enacted after Malaysia gained independence from Britain in 1957. The ISA allows for detention without trial or criminal charges under limited, legally defined circumstances...
to detain the 27 Al-Ma’unah members arrested at Bukit Jenalik on 6 July 2000 after the five-day arms heists and hostage taking and killings instead of charging them for robbery, kidnapping
Kidnapping
In criminal law, kidnapping is the taking away or transportation of a person against that person's will, usually to hold the person in false imprisonment, a confinement without legal authority...
, firearms and murder is a major and multiple blow to the reputation and credibility of the Police, the Attorney-General
Attorney General of Malaysia
The Attorney General of Malaysia, also referred to as the A-G , is the principal legal adviser to the Government of Malaysia. The Attorney General is also the highest ranking public prosecutor in the country and is also known as the Public Prosecutor, or simply PP. The powers with regards to...
, the Deputy Prime Minister and the Prime Minister as its smacks of a "cover-up" operation and will undermine public confidence in the White Paper
White paper
A white paper is an authoritative report or guide that helps solve a problem. White papers are used to educate readers and help people make decisions, and are often requested and used in politics, policy, business, and technical fields. In commercial use, the term has also come to refer to...
on the Al-Ma’unah arms heists and atrocities. The Al Ma'unah group was later charged under Section 121 of the Penal Code, conviction under which carries with it two penalties in the alternative, death or life imprisonment
Life imprisonment
Life imprisonment is a sentence of imprisonment for a serious crime under which the convicted person is to remain in jail for the rest of his or her life...
, and a third sentence that if the death penalty is not pronounced, a convicted person shall also be liable to a fine.