The Malaysian authorities recently rescued over 400 children and teenagers suspected of being sexually abused at charity homes run by a prominent Islamic business organization with ties to a banned religious sect. During coordinated raids on 20 premises across two Malaysian states, 171 adults, including Islamic religious teachers, were arrested. The rescued children, aged between one and 17, had been reported to have experienced neglect, abuse, sexual harassment, and molestation. These charity homes were all operated by Global Ikhwan Services and Business (GISB), a Malaysian firm involved in various businesses spanning multiple countries.
Global Ikhwan Services and Business (GISB), which did not respond to a request for comment, has been linked to the now-defunct Malaysia-based Al-Arqam religious sect, banned by the government in 1994. Despite this connection, GISB now describes itself as an Islamic conglomerate based on Muslim practices. The rescued minors were found to be children of GISB employees, who were sent to the homes shortly after birth and subjected to various forms of abuse. Allegations include sodomization by adult guardians, teaching children to sodomize other children, pressing hot spoons on arms, molestation under the guise of medical treatment, and indoctrinating children using religious tools in a harmful manner.
GISB and its controversial views on marriage, including promoting polygamy among Muslims, established the Obedient Wives’ Club, encouraging women to submit to their husbands “like prostitutes.” Some children at the charity homes who resisted or misbehaved were subjected to injuries caused by hot spoons, while others were molested under the pretext of following Islamic teachings. Additionally, children and religious sentiments were exploited to garner public sympathy and raise funds for the organization. Malaysia’s Inspector-General of Police, Razarudin, emphasized that the children would undergo health screenings and documentation, with the case being investigated under laws pertaining to sexual offenses against children and human trafficking.
The children and teenagers rescued from the charity homes will be sent for health screenings and documentation, with the case being investigated under laws covering sexual offenses against children and human trafficking. Police arrested 171 adults, including Islamic religious teachers, during the coordinated raids on these charity homes operated by Global Ikhwan Services And Business (GISB), a Malaysian firm with links to a banned religious sect. The rescued minors, who had allegedly been subjected to neglect, abuse, sexual harassment, and molestation, were found to be children of GISB employees, sent to the homes after birth and subjected to various forms of abuse.
Global Ikhwan Services and Business (GISB), with operations in multiple countries, has been linked to the now-defunct Al-Arqam religious sect banned by the Malaysian government in 1994. Despite this connection, GISB now brands itself as an Islamic conglomerate based on Muslim practices. The rescued minors in the charity homes were reportedly sodomized by adult guardians, taught to sodomize other children, mistreated in various ways, and indoctrinated with harmful religious teachings. GISB, known for its controversial views on marriage and its encouragement of polygamy among Muslims, has denied separate social media reports of exploiting children as workers and pledged to cooperate with authorities in resolving the issue.
Allegations of child abuse, including methods such as pressing hot spoons on arms, molesting children under the guise of medical treatment, and using religious tools to indoctrinate children, were made against GISB. The company had been using children and religious sentiments to gain public sympathy and raise funds. Malaysia’s Inspector-General of Police, Razarudin, characterized the situation as involving the harmful indoctrination of children through religious means. The rescued children will undergo necessary health screenings and documentation, with the investigation focusing on laws pertaining to sexual offenses against children and human trafficking.
