The Terengganu government has given an assurance to counsel for Che Minah Remeli, who owns the land in Hulu Besut where the Sky Kingdom commune is located, that no more demolition will take place before a land-related case is disposed of.

Che Minah is the first wife of Ariffin Mohammad, better known as Ayah Pin, the 65-year-old spiritual leader with a self-styled philosophy on the universality of religions.

Her Kuala Lumpur-based lawyer Haris Mohamed Ibrahim said the state legal advisor had on Aug 4 written to him asking for an extension of time to enable the respondents to file an affidavit in reply on or before Aug 25.

He said an undertaking not to demolish was given during a telephone conversation with Ahmad Kamal Md Shahid on Aug 8.

"I told him about the villagers' fears of a possible demolition of the houses and the ensuing uncertainty due to the intimations by certain parties," he said today, responding to malaysiakini reports highlighting villagers' appeal for their homes to be spared.

"He said the houses will not be demolished pending the disposal of the case."

Following the call, Haris said he wrote to Ahmad Kamal agreeing to the requested extension.

"In the letter, we also confirmed the earlier verbal undertaking against any demolition at the village."

Illegal structures

Ahmad Kamal could not be reached today (Friday), it being a public holiday in the east-coast state.

The Kuala Terengganu High Court was scheduled to hear Che Minah's application for a judicial review of an order to demolish a cluster of giant replicas including a kendi with a handle (teapot), a crescent moon and an umbrella tower.

The order was issued to destroy the structures rendered illegal by having them built on land classified as agriculture.

Hearing was scheduled for Aug 14 but it has been adjourned following the state government's request for an extension. The Kuala Terengganu High Court has yet to confirm a new date.

Still missing

A series of incidents including a petrol bomb attack, the two raids and the contentious demolition of giant replicas by authorities have forced most of the villagers to move out, mainly for practical and economic reasons.

Che Minah, in her supporting affidavit, alleged state conspiracy against her husband, who is being hunted by Terengganu religious authorities for being a threat to the public and the Muslim faith.

She herself has gone missing since last month's incidents and villagers claimed not to know her whereabouts.

They also claimed to have suffered the trauma and stigma that was compounded by extensive media coverage.

Preparations to file a case for alleged contempt of court against the Besut district authorities has began.