SINGAPORE: Malaysia’s police chief said that a probe will be conducted into a statement made by the chief executive officer of a firm at the centre of an alleged child exploitation investigation in the country.
This comes even as the authorities has spoken to over 400 people in connection to the raids at some 20 care homes believed to be linked to Global Ikhwan Services and Business Holdings (GISB).
GISB – a Muslim conglomerate that owns bakeries, minimarts and other businesses in Malaysia and elsewhere – was established in 2010 and has assets totalling around RM325 million (US$75.6 million) globally.
Inspector-General of Police Razarudin Hussain on Sunday (Sep 15) said that the current focus of the investigations is on allegations of child exploitation involving the care homes believed to be owned by the company.
“We will first complete the investigation into the child exploitation, and then we will address the claims by the company’s leader,” Mr Razarudin was quoted as saying by Malay Mail.
On Sep 14, the head of the conglomerate – Mr Nasiruddin Mohd Ali – acknowledged in a video posted on its Facebook page that there were “one or two” cases of sodomy at the care homes but denied other allegations of misconduct.
“Indeed, there were one or two cases of sodomy, but why lump them (the cases) all together?” he said.
Mr Nasirudin added: “I don’t want to blame the laws. It’s true we have done some wrongs in the eyes of the law but couldn’t there be some advice or discussions first?”
Last week, raids by Malaysian police on welfare homes in Selangor and Negeri Sembilan resulted in the rescue of 402 children who allegedly had been abused, some sexually.
Local media reported that the police were in the process of tracing the whereabouts of the parents of the rescued children to record their statements.
The Star quoted Mr Razarudin – the police chief – as saying that some of the children were left at the care homes since they were two years old.
“At age two, they were separated from their parents who went abroad to countries such as Saudi Arabia and Türkiye for up to six years.
“We believe some of the children have not seen their parents for several years. We are investigating child abandonment as a possible offence as well,” he said.
When CNA visited one of the care homes in Puchong last week, residents living in the area said that they have seen children engaged in various work and businesses, such as helping out at a stable that offers paid rides with animals and selling goat milk.
The children also kept largely to themselves, and did not seem to follow typical Islamic religious practices such as doing Friday prayers with the mosque congregation, the residents said.
Meanwhile, Reuters reported on Sep 14 that Malaysia’s Islamic Development Department would bring a report on suspected deviant teachings involving GISB to the Cabinet, the national religious affairs council, and the conference of rulers.
Malaysia has nine royal rulers who act as the custodians of Islam in the country.
