KUALA LUMPUR — The Prime Minister’s Department (PMD) through the religious affairs minister is stepping in to provide shelter for children rescued by police from welfare homes linked to Global Ikhwan Services and Business (GISB) Holdings.
PMD will also conduct its own investigation into the religious beliefs of GISB Holdings, following controversial allegations against the group which has been previously linked to deviant teachings involving the Al-Arqam sect.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (religious affairs) Senator Datuk Dr Mohd Na’im Mokhtar said the department will establish a special committee to conduct the study.
“The special committee will carry out detailed investigations and study of the doctrines and understanding of GISB Holdings.
“This special committee is placed under the supervision of the religious affairs minister’s office,” Na’im said in a statement today.
The religious affairs minister’s office will provide the findings of the study to the Muzakarah Committee of the National Council for Islamic Religious Affairs (MKI), Na’im added.
The Selangor ruler, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, is MKI chairman.
“Additionally, the PMD (religious affairs) will help to provide shelter homes to the children and teens rescued. It will also provide consultation and counselling to the victims involved,” the minister said.
Police on September 11 rescued 402 children aged one to 17 from 20 charity homes in Selangor and Negeri Sembilan in an operation called Op Global.
Police were acting on allegations that the homes, linked to GISB Holdings, had exploited the children and religion to solicit donations.
There were also claims that the children were sodomised by caretakers and taught to do the same to other children.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain earlier today confirmed to media police have so far found that 13 children were believed to have been sodomised.
171 people arrested including caretakers at the homes, are currently in remand for a week, while investigations under the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017 have commenced against four men in relation to the 13 children allegedly sodomised.
Other abuses which allegedly took place at the homes include denying sick children proper medical treatment, and inappropriate touch on children’s bodies on the pretext of giving “Islamic medical treatments”.
On September 7, Na’im said he had instructed Jakim to meet with GISB Holdings over allegations about the company’s alleged beliefs in Al-Arqam and Rufaqa teachings.
Jakim is also in the spotlight over claims by Perlis Mufti Datuk Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin that a study into GISB Holdings had been presented to the department, but no action was taken.
An academic from Universiti Islam Antarabangsa, Abu Hafiz Salleh Hudin, also said Jakim had ignored or disregarded information provided from people who conducted surveillance on the company, which has subsidiaries and businesses in many countries.
Police have been investigating allegations against GISB Holdings since 2011, Razarudin told media earlier today.
He added, police have received 41 reports concerning the company’s activities since then until now. — September 13, 2024