Bone-setting master Chris Leong detained in Palembang for visa violations

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Screen shot of the press conference by Sripoku.

MIRI: Indonesian immigration authorities in Palembang in Indonesia have detained renown Malaysian bone-setting master Dato’ Chris Leong and his entourage of 20 people for violating their tourist visas.

The Indonesian media reported the incident with Serba Serbi news portal quoting authorities that the Chris Leong Method (CLM) group were conducting illegal activities during a raid at a four-star hotel in Palembang.

Sumatera’s Office of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights head Sudirman D Hury said the authorities, in a joint effort with several state agencies, had arrested the individuals during the raid.

Sixteeen Malaysians, two Hong Kong citizens, one Irish citizen and one Belgian citizen were detained.

Sudirman said based on the interviews carried out by the authorities, 17 of the individuals were volunteers of the CLM agency based in Malaysia, including Leong himself.

Over 100 individuals registered for the treatment there.

The CLM group was previously in Sarawak in mid-November last year before embarking to Sabah, to treat individuals who had registered either online or who had managed to secure a slot in the packed sessions that were organised in the two states.

Antara News Sumsel quoted Sudirman as saying that these individuals had allegedly abused their visas by carrying out therapeutic services in the country, although they claimed to be carrying out “charity work” instead.

The Indonesian news agency reported that patients who visited the group paid 4.5mil rupiah (RM1,300) for the services.

Leong’s Facebook, with over 1.2 million followers, showed that he and his group were in Palembang and Sidirman said they entered the country on Jan 5.

Their arrest in Indonesia have sent shockwaves to their followers and they are likely to be deported after been penalised under the Indonesian legal system.