IPOH: Infamous “Raja Bomoh” Ibrahim Mat Zin and a 62-year-old woman who were investigated for allegedly insulting Islam after a ritual to prevent floods were released on court bail at the Lower Syariah Court here on Friday (Jan 7).

       Ibrahim was released with bail amounting to RM3,000, along with a guarantor that only consists of family members.

       Syarie Judge Mohammad Najib Ab Razak made the ruling following an application by Syarie prosecutor Suhaili Ishak.

       During proceedings, the woman Suliaha Abdul Hamid, 62, also known as “Puteri Zaleha”, was also imposed bail of RM3,000.

       Suhaili had argued for a maximum bail amount of RM3,000, saying that the case has already made rounds on social media and garnered public attention.

       Ibrahim, who has 32 children and three wives, and Suliaha, a former civil servant, had applied for the bail amount to be reduced as they do not have a full-time jobs.

       The courts later set bail at RM3,000 per person and the next hearing is set for Feb 23.

       The prosecution did not put forward the charge sheet because it needed time to allow further investigations to be carried out.

       Earlier, Sinar Harian reported that both of them will be charged under Section 14 of the Perak Syariah Criminal Enactment 1992 with insulting Islam as well as under Section 16 for going against the state fatwa department.

       Ibrahim was seen in a black suit and a songkok at the court complex at around 11am on Friday (Jan 7).

       A 25-minute video clip of the “tepung tawar” ceremony to ward off rain at Dataran JPS Teluk Intan, which involved releasing flowers and leaves, among other things, into the river to be carried by the currents to the sea, had gone viral earlier.

       In the video, Zaleha is seated next to Ibrahim and can be heard singing a Mayang Sari song, while the Quran is open in front of them.