In Malaysia, a significant operation led to the saving of 402 children and the arrest of 171 suspects from 20 welfare homes affiliated with an Islamic business group following allegations of child abuse and exploitation, the national police chief revealed. The Inspector-General of Police, Razarudin Husain, shared that the raids occurred after reports of child abandonment, deviant teachings, and sexual assault at the facilities, managed by Global Ikhwan Services and Business Holdings.
The rescued children, comprising 201 boys and 201 girls aged between 1 to 17, were taken from 18 homes in Selangor state and two in Negeri Sembilan state. The arrested suspects, 66 men and 105 women, including religious instructors and caregivers, were connected to the mistreatment of the children, as revealed during a televised news conference by Razarudin Husain.
Husain detailed horrific accounts of abuse, mentioning that the children were victims of sexual exploitation by the caregivers and were coerced into performing similar acts on each other at the facilities. He further disclosed that medical attention was often withheld from sick children until their situation deteriorated, and young ones were even burned with hot objects as punishment and subjected to invasive physical examinations by the caretakers.
Authorities suspect that the Global Ikhwan group capitalized on religious sentiments to solicit donations while exploiting the children under its care. Investigations indicated that the children in the welfare homes were offspring of Global Ikhwan members who had been placed there since infancy by their parents. The children will undergo medical evaluations in light of the ongoing investigations.
Global Ikhwan, established by Ashaari Mohamad who previously led the banned Islamic sect Al Arqam, refuted claims of child exploitation but pledged cooperation with the authorities. The group, known for its diverse business ventures in industries like food and beverage, media, healthcare, travel, and real estate, employs over 5,000 individuals across 20 countries. It has franchises in major cities such as London, Paris, Australia, and Dubai.
