Malaysia freezes accounts of Islamic group in child abuse homes probe

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian authorities have frozen close to 100 bank accounts belonging to a conglomerate accused of running care homes where hundreds of children were allegedly abused, police said Tuesday.

In what is believed to be the worst such case to hit Malaysia in decades, police arrested 171 suspects including religious studies teachers and caregivers and brought to safety over 400 children after storming 20 charity shelters.

At the heart of the investigation is the Global Ikhwan Service and Business (GISB) group, which has long been controversial for its links to the now-defunct Al-Arqam sect.

On Tuesday Malaysia’s police chief Razarudin Husain said authorities have frozen 96 accounts linked to the group containing approximately $124,000.

“We have also seized eight vehicles linked to the company,” he said.

In the immediate aftermath of the police raids, GISB initially denied the allegations and said they do not run the care homes searched in the states of Selangor and Negeri Sembilan.

But in a video posted on the company’s Facebook page on Saturday, chief executive officer Nasiruddin Ali acknowledged “one or two sodomy cases” took place at the shelters, while denying allegations of widespread abuse.

Medical screenings show that at least 13 children suffered sexual abuse, Razarudin said last week.

The case has sparked concerns about the welfare of children in care facilities and the regulation of charitable organisations in Malaysia.

According to its website, GISB says it is an Islamic company that runs businesses from supermarkets to restaurants, and operates in several countries including Indonesia, France and the United Kingdom.

Police believe the 402 minors in the care homes were all children of GISB members, Razarudin had said.

-AFP