Mazhilis deputy Aidos Sarym and his colleagues from the Amanat party have sent a request to the Ministry of Culture and Information about the need to stop the activities of pseudo-trainers, “esoteric gurus” and charlatans who profit from gullible citizens.
According to Hronika.kz, the parliamentarians claim that pseudo-psychological and esoteric practices are spreading rapidly in Kazakhstan, turning into commercial schemes and causing serious harm to society.
“The widespread prevalence of such pernicious practices is an alarming signal. The scale of the problem is such that it no longer allows us to fall back on citizens’ ‘free will and choice.’ To be honest, the problem is beginning to resemble a ‘spiritual pandemic’ or a ‘mental epidemic,’” the request states.
The deputies note that across the country today the number of various seminars, courses and lectures conducted by self-proclaimed ‘gurus’, pseudo-scientists and fraudsters is growing.
“Hundreds, thousands, apparently disoriented people are falling for these kinds of ‘schemes,’ spending their money and savings. Worse still, such charlatan schemes are already turning into ‘esoteric pyramids,’ a ‘psychological drug’ that entire families or groups become hooked on,” the document states.
The parliamentarians also expressed concern that some company executives, including those in state-owned structures, allocate funds for such “coaching sessions,” disguising them as educational or team-building events.
In the request addressed to the Minister of Culture and Information Aida Balayeva, the deputies asked a number of specific questions:
- is there monitoring of the activities of organisations like ‘Syutsai’;
- are there any assessments of the psychological and material harm caused by such practices;
- are any legislative or regulatory measures planned to limit their activities;
- is the online and social media activity of such structures being tracked;
- is any explanatory work being carried out among the population involving specialists and the media.
The authors of the appeal emphasised the need for inter-agency cooperation and the involvement of the scientific, educational and parent communities in developing systemic measures.