Police rescue 402 minors from nursing homes after allegations of abuse

Malaysian police have rescued 402 children and teenagers believed to have been physically and sexually abused, who are located in 20 nursing homes.

Warning: This story contains descriptions of sexual and physical violence.

The victims, aged between one and 17, were said to have been subjected to various forms of abuse, with some being forced to perform sexual acts on other children, police inspector general Razarudin Husain said at a press conference.

Police have arrested 171 suspects, including religious teachers and caregivers.

The nursing homes are said to have ties to a leading Islamic conglomerate, which in a statement denied any wrongdoing.

Police on Wednesday raided 20 nursing homes in Selangor and Negeri Sembilan states, following reports earlier this month of child exploitation, sexual assault and sexual abuse at another facility in Negeri Sembilan state.

At a press conference on Wednesday, Insp Razarudin told reporters that some of the suspects – aged between 17 and 64 – allegedly touched the children, claiming it was part of a religious treatment. Some of the children were also allegedly taught to perform similar sexual acts on other children in the home.

Children were also “punished using heated metal objects” and the sick were not allowed to seek medical attention until their condition became critical, he added.

The children are being temporarily housed at a police centre in the capital Kuala Lumpur and will undergo a health check, Inspector Razarudin said.

Initial investigations have revealed that many children were placed in these homes by their parents to receive religious education, state news agency Bernama reported.

The raids come days after police launched an investigation into the Islamic Global Ikhwan Group (GISB) business group for child exploitation, with police confirming the two cases are linked.

According to Deputy Inspector-General of Police Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay, initial investigations have revealed that GISB’s modus operandi is to set up social housing schemes to collect donations, according to a report by the New Straits Times.

The group denied the allegations in a statement posted to Facebook on Wednesday.

“The company will not compromise on any activity that is contrary to the law, in particular the exploitation of children,” the company said.

GISB has hundreds of companies in 20 countries, operating in sectors ranging from hospitality to food and education.

The Malaysian Human Rights Commission, Suhakam, has called for stricter regulations in nursing homes.

“The problem is that these places are not properly regulated or monitored,” Farah Nini Dusuki, Suhakam children’s commissioner, told online news site Free Malaysia Today.

“We have a serious problem with surveillance and control, so we need to make the community more alert,” she said.