KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 14): The police carried out six months of intelligence and investigations before raiding 20 care homes linked to Global Ikhwan Services and Business (GISB) Holdings over allegations of child exploitation and abuse.
Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain said the police had been investigating the company since 2011, long before allegations against GISB went viral on social media recently.
He said the police also met representatives of Pusat Kajian Ajaran Sesat six months ago.
"They were the ones who channelled initial information and facilitated the reopening of investigations of various police reports lodged against GISB,” the IGP said when contacted on Saturday.
In addition, Razarudin said the police had also received a report lodged by a former GISB member from Negeri Sembilan who retracted the report.
“The woman later lodged a new report, and we opened an investigation under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001,” the IGP said.
He said the woman also gave police credible leads for action to be taken.
Razarudin said although investigations began six months ago, the police were not slow to act, and they could only make arrests after receiving credible leads.
"I urge former GISB members who had lodged police reports before retracting them to come forward and help in the investigation,” he said.
On Wednesday, the Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department rescued 402 individuals — 201 boys and 201 girls — aged between one and 17 years, when they raided 20 care homes linked to a company allegedly involved in religious and child exploitation.
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