KUALA LUMPUR: A conglomerate linked to a massive child abuse case that has rocked Malaysia has about 10,000 followers – including children – across the country, the police said on Monday (Sep 23).
Police chief Razarudin Husain added that initial investigations also found that the followers of Global Ikhwan Services and Business Holdings (GISB) are still practising teachings of the Al-Arqam sect that was declared deviant in 1994.
This was based on the discovery of material such as books and leaflets among those arrested this month. The sect’s leader Ashaari Mohammad died in 2010.
“We need to verify this number from our investigations,” Inspector General of Police Razarudin said during a press conference on Monday (Sep 23).
The police have also seized and frozen close to RM5 million (US$1.1 million) in cash, vehicles and bank accounts, in addition to more than a dozen lots of land.
Mr Razarudin said that all the GISB-linked premises have been raided and that the group’s highest leadership has been remanded for investigations.
The police have 32 GISB leaders in their custody. This includes the conglomerate’s CEO Nasiruddin Mohd Ali, who was arrested on Sep 19 along with his two wives and his children.
Mr Nasiruddin has denied allegations of widespread abuse at the care homes and other misconduct, though he acknowledged that “one or two” cases of sodomy occurred.
Several premises had been empty during the latest round of raids, and members of the group are believed to have run away, Mr Razaruddin said during the press conference on Monday.
He added that these members had run away without any direction and had no place to live.
“The police advise and call on them to come forward to the authorities so that the Malaysian government can provide appropriate assistance in various forms including welfare and psychological support,” he said.
The police detained 156 individuals during their latest operation over the weekend, Mr Razarudin said. He added that one of the detainees has four wives and 34 children but claims he does not know where most of his kids are.
“Only two children were living with him, and he does not know where his 32 other children are,” the police chief said.
The police also rescued 187 victims below the age of 18, of which 59 were below 5 years old.
The police inspector-general said that there were now 11 safe houses sheltering altogether the 572 children that were rescued in their operations, adding that some were allegedly sexually abused.
About 355 people have now been detained in connection with the probe into GISB.
POLICE DENY INACTION
At the same time, Mr Razarudin denied suggestions that the authorities had taken too long to act against the group.
“We did not leave it like that. And Jakim (Malaysia’s Islamic affairs authority) also didn’t just leave it. We tried to get as much information as we could (before taking action),” he said.
The Sultan of Selangor on Saturday expressed disappointment over what he described as a lack of effective action taken against GISB.
“We must accept the fact that the delay in handling this issue highlighted the weaknesses in monitoring and enforcing laws by religious organisations against charity homes and religious schools linked to GISB,” said a statement from the Selangor Royal Office, as reported by The Star.
“The organisation’s network is so vast that this issue has become serious and out of control.”
Malaysian king Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar had last week ordered the police to conduct an immediate and thorough investigation into the criminal and abuse allegations at several care homes
The monarch also said that matters concerning the Islamic faith should be safeguarded and not taken lightly.
During the press conference on Monday, Mr Razarudin also gave an update on the asset seizures and freezes undertaken by the police regarding the case.
He shared that a total of 138 bank accounts linked to GISB with funds worth close to RM900,000 have been frozen by the authorities, with 15 other accounts closed so far.
Thirty-eight vehicles worth approximately RM3.8 million have also been seized along with 14 lots of land, of which their value has yet to be determined. Several animals including horses, rabbits and peacocks were also seized during the raids.
Established in 2010, GISB owns bakeries, minimarts and other businesses in Malaysia and elsewhere, with assets totalling around RM325 million globally.
