Former GISBH members talk about brainwashing attempts

GISBH came into the spotlight last week when police rescued 402 children in raids on 20 nursing homes in Selangor and Negeri Sembilan. (Photo PDRM)

KUALA LUMPUR: Former members of Global Ikhwan Services and Business Holdings Sdn Bhd claim they have been brainwashed and believe the group’s leaders were appointed by Prophet Muhammad, Imam Mahadi and guides from the spiritual realm.

One of them, who preferred to be called Ahmad, 36, said the leaders also claim they can communicate with the Prophet Muhammad through yaqazah (in a state of consciousness) and said all instructions from the leaders must be followed.

Ahmad maintained that education in GISBH schools serves as a platform to instill undivided devotion among members, especially children, to their leaders.

According to him, the self-created curriculum taught in the schools emphasizes the words and writings of the leaders, and other subjects, such as Fardu Ain, are taught at a basic level. “Classroom lessons are short and sometimes teachers are not available. Other subjects are repeated often,” he said.

Ahmad said his father was one of the group’s leaders and that his family practiced the teachings of the al-Arqam group, which was banned in 1994.

He said he spent his childhood in the group’s settlements in Perak, before moving to Rawang, Selangor, Putrajaya, Kedah, Sabah, Sarawak and eventually to Jordan and Syria.

Ahmad left the congregation in 2011 after studying with several religious teachers who were not members of the organization.

“I left the company after the death of al-Arqam leader Ashaari Muhammad. At that time, the company was run by Ummu Jah, who is also Ashaari’s widow,” he said.

Another former GISBH member, Latif, in his 30s, said students at GISBH schools were taught using books that glorified Ashaari, who was called Abuya (father).

“They claim to be the community of truth that will stand with Imam Mahadi. Everyone has become obsessed. This process has not happened overnight as it has been going on since the time of Al-Arqam,” he said, claiming that he was sent to GISBH schools in Pahang, Selangor and Perak by his parents, whose marriage was arranged by the group.

“The schools were usually empty and students often played during lessons as lessons were not conducted formally,” Latif said, adding that he left GISBH at the age of 17 after going to a government-run skills training centre with a friend, which made him realise the importance of taking the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia exam.

Abu Bakar, 36, says he left the organization in 2010 after realizing he did not have the formal education that other teenagers had.

“I wondered why I didn’t study like other people, but instead I was asked to fight to meet Imam Mahadi. And because of my curiosity, I decided to leave,” he said, adding that he tried to escape several times but was caught and brought back by members of the group.

Abu Bakar said his mother left the group after his father divorced her, following the orders of the leaders, after which the group stopped searching for them.

GISBH has come under the spotlight after police rescued 402 children and teenagers suspected of being victims of labour and sexual exploitation during raids on 20 care homes. The operation also uncovered cases of neglect and abuse, leading to the arrest of 105 women and 65 men.