The Ahmadiyya religious movement is not a “new religion” but is in fact Islam, insists a follower.

In a forum organised by NGO Projek Dialog, Ahmadiyya follower Salahuddin Syed Ali said this was especially true as its followers believe in the five pillars of Islam and the six articles of Islamic faith.

Despite this, followers of the movement - which was founded near the end of the 19th century by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad - have always been targets of persecution due to slander, said Salahuddin.