He said the raid was conducted in accordance with the standard procedures, and that the Selangor government was maintaining the ban on Shia teachings as decided by the Selangor Fatwa Committee in 2013.

“We have repeatedly made it clear in Friday sermons about the ban on Shia teachings,” he told reporters today.

Jais deputy director Azlinda Azman said Shia Malaysia chairman Kamil Zuhairi Abdul Azizi was among 22 people arrested in the raid on Hauzah ar-Ridha headquarters in Taman Sri Gombak near here.

She said the raid was conducted following complaints from the public.

“Some items were also seized during the raid including banners, Karbala stones, picture frames and Shia-related books. Kamil Zuhairi and the 21 followers were later taken to the Gombak district Islamic religious office for further investigation,” she said.

Azlinda said the arrests were made under the Selangor Syariah Criminal Enactment 1995. Jais would continue to monitor the activities of the followers and would not hesitate to take firm action against them, and she urged the public to inform Jais if they had any information on any shariah criminal activities.

Anti-Shia raid may cast a pall over Dr M’s planned visit to Iran