Global Ikhwan child abuse scandal

On 11 September 2024, an operation nicknamed Operation Global (Malay: Operasi Global) was conducted by the Royal Malaysia Police, targeted children's homes associated with GISB Holdings Sdn. Bhd. (GISBH) and uncovered cases after cases of child neglects and child sexual abuses.

Background

GISB Holdings Sdn Bhd (GISBH) is a conglomerate company holding assets reportedly worth RM325 million with business establishment across 20 countries. GISBH was founded in 1997, three years after the Government of Malaysia banned al-Arqam in 1994 due to their deviant beliefs. It was founded as Rufaqa' Corporation, before going to business with their current name in 2010.

It was founded by the remnants of the followers of Ashaari Mohammad, the same person that founded Al-Arqam in 1968. The company claims to have 3,658 'youth' and 1,698 adult workers.

Timeline

Raid on children's homes

On 11 September 2024, a police report triggered a Royal Malaysia Police raid on 20 children's homes associated with GISBH around Selangor and Negeri Sembilan. The initial toll of children rescued was 402, in which was 201 boys and 201 girls aged between one and 17 years old, in addition 171 suspects including teachers and wardens were remanded. The children were believed to be offspring of GISBH members currently outstation at GISBH foreign premises. Some of the 402 children were sodomised and thought to sexually assault their peers according to the Inspector General of Police (IGP). Health screenings of the 384 rescued children reveal that they endured physical injuries and sexual abuse and 13 of them have been sodomised. All of the rescued children were bought to PULAPOL for documentation, out of 402 children, 10 were disabled and autistic and were handed over to Department of Social Welfare.

According to the police, since 2011 until September 2024, they had received 41 police reports against GISBH, they also addressed allegations that the police reacted late on the information stating that the police were compiling information. The IGP also said 159 individuals out of the 171 suspects detained during the operation were remanded while the rest are minors and no need to be investigated. On 17 September 2024, the police later froze 96 bank accounts held by GISBH with a total of RM581,552 under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (AMLA).

Arrests

Border arrests

On 18 September 2024, two motorhomes with GISBH logos displayed on it were seen at Bukit Kayu Hitam ICQS Complex heading towards Thailand. According to the Immigration Department of Malaysia (JIM), the vehicles were there to renew their expiring International Circulation Permits. Upon being alerted by JIM about the vehicles' exit from the ICQS complex, Kedah Criminal Investigation Department stopped the vehicles and inspected it before seizing it and detaining the five drivers and passengers, among the detained were believed to be the son of a GISBH leader.

Arrest of GISBH leadership and members

On 19 September 2024, the firm's chief executive officer (CEO), his wife and two kids were among the 19 GISBH executives that were remanded, this comes after his press release acknowledging cases of sodomy in the children's homes. On 20 September 2024, seven members of GISBH's Remaja Pembela Ummah was arrested to assist with an investigation into human trafficking. Those arrested include sons of Ashaari Mohammad and GISBH's chief executive officer.

Classification of GISBH as a deviant cult

On 20 September 2024, Perlis became the first state in Malaysia to classify GISBH as a deviant group after Perlis State Fatwa Committee issued a fatwa stating that the beliefs and teachings in GISBH contains characteristics of deviant teachings. The State Fatwa Committee also added that GISB 'is a continuation of Al-Arqam teachings, which were banned nationwide' and 'such beliefs are deviant and have strayed from Islam.'

On 21 September 2024, the Sultan of Selangor ordered the Selangor Islamic Religion Department to cooperate with the police in relation to the investigation of the child abuse scandal. He also ordered the Selangor State Fatwa Committee to issue a ruling related to GISBH.

Mass raid & crackdown on GISBH-owned premises in Peninsular Malaysia

On 21 September 2024, the local governments in Malaysia and federal government agencies joined by the Royal Malaysia Police, launched a mass raid & crackdown on GISBH-owned premises. Kelantan Police and Kelantan Islamic Religious Affairs Department jointly raided Nasiruddin Mohd Ali's residence in Kampung Panji, Kota Bharu. 30 people were found there including his second wife and over 20 children. The police also uncovered documents and books alledgedly related to Al-Arqam that was planted at a riverbank while other books were burned after news of the CEO's arrest. The IGP also announced that raids on GISBH since 18 September 2024 has resulted in 200 arrests made, 37 investigation papers initiated to date. In Bandar Country Homes, Rawang, the headquarters of GISBH, the Selayang Municipal Council and Federal Reserve Unit raided GISBH-owned business premises & confiscated all assets belonged to GISBH. Four raids targeting children's homes and business were also done in Mainland Penang carried out by Penang Islamic Religious Affairs Department and the police and uncovered six books related to Al-Arqam including the ones outlawed by the Ministry of Home Affairs on 2011. Meanwhile in Malacca, 19 kids were rescued after the Melaka Islamic Religious Department, the police and more raided GISBH's premises in Melaka Tengah, Alor Gajah and Jasin. 11 out of the 24 individuals were also detained on suspicion of following the teachings of Al-Arqam. A total of 155 people in which was 78 men and 77 women were nabbed by the police in phase four of Operation Global.

Response

GISBH

First press release

The day after the police raid, GISBH ran a damage control campaign and uploaded a press release in Facebook strongly denying cases of sodomy in the children's homes. The company's chief coordination officer, Adib Attamimi also uploaded a video in Facebook stating 'It is astonishing that we would neglect them. We must consider how strong they are in facing these challenges.'

Second press release

GISB later on changed their stance and made a press release with its chief executive officer, Nasiruddin Mohd Ali acknowledging there were sodomy cases in between the children while denying accusations of human trafficking.

'Yes, there were one or two cases of sodomy among the children but why generalise all the other innocent children and accuse us of human trafficking?'
'I did not speak up earlier for fear of aggravating the situation. Our lawyers will start the legal process tomorrow.'

Selangor State Government

The Selangor Islamic Religious Council's Chairman issued a statement ordering religious enforcement officers to investigate all charity homes and schools linked with GISBH to ensure no deviant teachings are propagated there.

Court proceedings

On 12 September 2024, Puteri Nurin Amalina, a 19 year old teenager, was charged in Seremban, Negeri Sembilan with four charges of physical abuse against four girls between the ages of five and six at a GISBH related childcare centre in Rasah. On 18 September 2024, Mohamad Riza Makar, who is also a GISBH member was charged for criminal intimidation after allegedly threatening a woman to withdraw a police report against him at a carpark in Putrajaya. On 19 September 2024, three GISB madrasah teaching assistants were faced with 14 counts of sexual assault charges against five children in Kuala Pilah, Negeri Sembilan. And on 20 September 2024, another teaching assistant was faced with six charges of sexual assault on four boys aged between nine and 11 in Kuala Pilah.

See also

• Al-Arqam