The GISBH scandal involving sexual, physical abuse of kids in welfare homes

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 23 — On September 11, the nation was rocked by reports of sexual and physical abuse of children at welfare homes linked to the Global Ikhwan Services and Business Holdings Sdn Bhd (GISBH), following mass raids and the arrest of 171 individuals, including caretakers and religious teachers, in Selangor and Negeri Sembilan.

GISBH is currently at the centre of a multi-agency investigation for a slew of criminal activities, including: child sexual exploitation, human trafficking, and promoting Islamic deviancy.

Here is the latest on the situation involving Op Global, which is currently in the fourth stage:

The company’s top executives, including CEO Datuk Nasiruddin Mohd Ali, the son of former Al-Arqam leader Ashaari Mohamad, have been arrested.
Nineteen individuals, including top management, their spouses, and several GISBH leaders, have been remanded for seven days to assist with investigations.
A massive raid of several business networks believed to linked to GISBH were conducted in an integrated operation in Bandar Country Homes, Rawang on Saturday.
The police are now monitoring social media for content related to GISBH, while the Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission is reviewing parodies involving the matter.
On Saturday, another 186 victims were found, resulting in the arrest of an additional 78 men and 77 women across Malaysia. Previously, 402 children were rescued.
GISBH shops and outlet across the countries have all closed their doors.

Read here for the full timeline of events leading to the raids and arrests.

Who have been charged?

The list so far includes:

September 12: A 19-year-old girl with four charges of physical abuse against four children girls between the ages of five and six at a childcare centre at Seremban Sessions Court, Negeri Sembilan.
September 18: Businessman Mohamad Riza Makar was charged with making criminal threats against a woman last on September 9, at Putrajaya Magistrate’s Court.
September 19: Three teaching assistants from an Islamic school in Kuala Pilah were charged at the Seremban Sessions Court, Negeri Sembilan. Muhammad Habib Noh Mohd Zairi, 21, Muhammad Khunais Fathie Khabil, 20, and Ahmad Nadzful Izham Azizan, 22, faced 14 charges of sexually abusing five children in 2022 and 2023.
September 20: A 20-year-old teaching assistant at an Islamic school in Kuala Pilah, Negeri Sembilan faced six charges of sexually abusing four boys last year under Section 14 of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017 at Seremban Sessions Court, Negeri Sembilan.

All of the accused claimed trial.

On September 17, Razarudin confirmed that 96 bank accounts belonging to GISBH worth more than RM581,000 have been frozen, and four accounts closed.

Some of the 29 individuals linked to GISBH who were remanded on September 22, 2024. — Bernama pic

What did the rescued children go through?

The 392 victims rescued have completed the health screening, and physical and emotional criminal elements have been detected. Here’s what we know about them:

Preliminary investigations found that the children who resided there were not only allegedly sodomised by the caretakers, but also taught to perform similar acts on the other children at the home.
The children were subjected to abuse as they would be punished with heated metal objects when they made mistakes.
The children who resided there were not orphans, their parents left them in the care of the homes.

In response, GISBH chief coordination officer Adib Attamimi denied allegations that he and other company officials coached children at welfare homes linked to the business to perform sodomy.

However, the abuse was confirmed by Global Ikhwan’s executive chairman and chief executive himself, as he admitted that a few cases of sodomy occurred at its welfare homes in a video.

Were there evidences of Al-Arqam teachings?

The controversy is not merely centred around sexual and physical abuse taking place in the homes but its links to the religiously deviant Al-Arqam group which was banned by the national fatwa council in 1994.

Recent discoveries have proved that the teachings are still alive as books and pamphlets associated with the deviant group were found on the raided premises. These included in Melaka raids on 19 premises linked to GISBH:

12 photographs of al-Arqam’s founder, Ashaari Muhammad
38 books related to al-Arqam, which have been banned in the state, including ‘Aurad Muhammadiyah’ and the ‘Zikir Aurad Muhammadiyah’ table — a diary documenting the teachings of Al-Arqam
33 compact discs associated with Al-Arqam teachings and several electronic devices

In Kelantan, authorities found dozens of books about the doctrines practised by the organisation, buried near three homes associated with the top management of GISBH and its CEO. The homes are believed to house approximately 30 individuals, including the leader’s second wife and more than 20 children in Kampung Panji, Kota Baru.

Some items were reportedly burned to eliminate evidence and evade seizure.

In Penang, four premises, including two childcare centres linked to GISBH were raided and six religious books suspected to be linked to the banned Al-Arqam movement, outlawed by the National Fatwa Council in 1994 were confiscated.

Kelantan police raided three houses believed to be residences of the senior management families of Global Ikhwan Service & Business Holdings (GISBH) Sdn Bhd and seized various books and documents buried along the riverbank in Kampung Panji September 21, 2024. — Bernama pic

What has Putrajaya said on this?

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had on September 13 called for investigations to be wrapped up quickly:

“If this is true, investigate the matter, this is very important as it has become a big matter that is linked to abuse of the Islam religion and childcare.”

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Mohd Na’im Mokhtar has since announced a special committee on the matter, with the National Council for Islamic Religious Affairs’ Muzakarah Committee to discuss it this week.

Former followers will also be called to testify, while the Malaysian Department of Islamic Development (Jakim) said the evidences seized would determine the faith status of the followers.

All of this information collated would be presented to the National Council of Islamic Religious Affairs to decide whether there needs to be a fatwa to declare GISBH as a religiously deviant organisation.

Opposition party PAS, however cautioned the government against being over-zealous in prosecuting GISBH members. The Islamist party’s secretary-general Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan said any innocent members should not be punished.

“PAS believes that the positive aspects of the group, including its extensive business network, should be preserved and protected from hasty and unfair actions that may stem from impulsive sentiment, prejudice, business competition, or certain political agendas by those seeking to exploit the situation.”

A total of 19 individuals, including the chief executive officer of Global Ikhwan Services and Business Holding (GISBH) and his wife, were brought to the Shah Alam Magistrates’ Court to seek a seven-day remand order, starting September 18, 2024. — Bernama pic

What have others, including the state muftis said?

On September 20, Perlis became the first state to declare the teachings of Global Ikhwan as religiously deviant and un-Islamic in a fatwa or religious ruling. According to Perlis Mufti Datuk Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin:

“GISBH members venerate their leaders and religious figures to the extent of equating them with prophets, attributing them with the power to perform miracles, and claiming they possess knowledge of the unseen, as though they were divine.

“Such beliefs are deviant and have strayed from Islam.”

However, Kelantan Mufti Datuk Mohamad Shukri Mohamad was more cautious on a new fatwa:

“If this is connected to Al-Arqam, then the fatwa has already been decided. Only if there are new elements, aspects, or facts not covered by the previous fatwa would we consider issuing a new ruling.”

This opinion was also shared by Terengganu Mufti Datuk Dr Mohamad Sabri Harun:

“As of now, there have been no complaints regarding the teachings of GISBH in Terengganu. Should a complaint arise, we will await the MKI’s decision, and only after substantial and clear evidence is provided, will we declare the teachings of GISBH as deviant.”

On Saturday, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, the Sultan of Selangor, expressed disappointment and regret that religious authorities did not act earlier against welfare homes run by GISBH.

His Royal Highness also ordered the immediate closure of all unregistered welfare homes and Islamic schools in Selangor, operated by GISBH and its network, suspected of involvement in any criminal activities, as a preventive measure to safeguard children from exploitation.

“I wish to remind all parties, especially the religious authorities, to take the issues related to the behavior of GISBH seriously, particularly when it involves children and the suspected heretical teachings practiced by them.

“I do not want us to be likened to a ‘hollow tin’, meaning merely good at talking but with no results. We must adhere to the principle of ‘walk the talk’ or putting our words into action.”

Following this, the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) said it will present a comprehensive report on the group’s activities. This includes updates on the 30 unregistered welfare homes operated by GISBH in Selangor, and investigations on the alleged appointment of mosque committee members from GISBH at a mosque in Rawang.

A general view of the businesses under GISBH in Shah Alam September 15, 2024. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa

Are GISBH products halal?

A curious side-story to the scandal involves the way GISBH runs its business — which included numerous supermarkets, bakeries, pharmacies, factories, and restaurants both domestically and abroad.

Last week, religious authorities confirmed that Global Ikhwan’s bread products did not renew its halal certification since 2017. Authorities are investigating whether its poultry abattoir under Ikhwan Poultry Sdn Bhd carries the halal certification after allegations that it does not.

The company will also be investigated for not paying wages to its workers following complaints.

GISBH markets itself as a Bumiputera-Muslim-run business, holds assets worldwide worth RM325 million and owns 415 business outlets across 20 countries in Asia, Europe, Africa and Australasia.

At least two of its businesses, a restaurant in Mecca and Singapore, have distanced themselves from the controversy.

GISBH emerged from a series of rebrands of a supposedly religiously deviant group, initially known as the Arqam Group. It was first renamed Rufaqa Corp before ultimately becoming GISBH.

The action against Global Ikhwan was prompted by 41 police reports that had been lodged against the company from 2011 until September 7 this year.

The police also urged individuals who believe they may have been victims of GISBH activities to lodge police reports to build a more comprehensive case against the group.