Storm over teapot cult

The Sky Kingdom sect's two-storey concrete teapot, symbolising the pouring of blessings on mankind, was torched. Picture / Reuters

A former Christchurch woman arrested in Malaysia after a raid on the compound of a cult that has a giant teapot in its grounds is safe, say Foreign Affairs officials.

Judith Lilian McDonald, 54, was one of 58 devotees arrested on Wednesday after a raid on the sect's compound by unidentified people wearing masks and robes and armed with molotov cocktails.

A Foreign Affairs spokeswoman said a consulate official from the capital, Kuala Lumpur, had spoken to Judith McDonald, who was safe.

The National Fatwa Council has outlawed the Sky Kingdom sect, which is accused of luring Muslims away from Islam.

Malaysian authorities have been concerned that the sect ridicules Islamic teachings and has spread outside its base in eastern Malaysia about 400km northeast of Kuala Lumpur.

Judith McDonald was reported on a Malaysian news website this month as having converted to Islam after marrying an Indonesian man and living in West Sumatra for seven years.

She said she trusted cult leader, Ayah Pin, "as he speaks the truth", and had been a frequent visitor to the commune since January.

"I spent about four days in January, about two weeks in May and now have been staying here for about a month ... I spend my time meditating."

The New Strait Times reported that Ms McDonald would be charged for not adhering to the state edict that had ruled the Sky Kingdom teachings as deviant.

This week's raid took place while occupants were asleep.

The 2.4ha compound has about 35 wooden houses, occupied by about 120 followers, and the theme park-like structures of a teapot, vase and floating ark.

The two-storey concrete teapot was built to symbolise the pouring of blessings on mankind. The sect believes it has healing properties.

Followers drink "holy water" poured from a giant vase that is perpetually filled by the teapot.

A mob of up to 50 people torched and charred the giant teapot, smashed vehicles and set a large umbrella-shaped building on fire.

Officials cannot find Ayah Pin, 65, whose real name is Ariffin Mohamad.

Malaysia's constitution allows freedom of religion, but its parallel Islamic judicial system holds great sway on religious issues.