KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has vowed that he will not compromise in the probe against Muslim conglomerate Global Ikhwan Services and Business Holdings (GISB) that has been linked to a massive child abuse case in the country.goplay
This comes even as Malaysia’s police chief Razarudin Husain said that the extreme fanaticism towards GISB’s leadership by its followers is believed to be the reason as to why some are willing to sacrifice their lives and that of their family members.
Mr Anwar on Wednesday (Sep 25) stressed that the authorities are working to uncover the group’s alleged misconducts. These include sexual abuse, human trafficking, and deviant Islamic teachings among others.
GISB is believed to have close links to the Al Arqam sect, which was banned by Malaysian religious authorities in 1994 for deviant practices.
Related:Malaysia abuse scandal: Remand for GISB's CEO extended for another 4 days Child abuse probe: Malaysian firm GISB has 10,000 followers still practising deviant teachings, says police chief“I am resolute and I will not back down. If I have to compromise on this issue, then there’s no point in me being the prime minister,” Mr Anwar was quoted as saying by Free Malaysia Today (FMT).
The prime minister warned that those who commit crimes will face the law, even if they were to claim that they uphold Islamic principles.
“It doesn’t matter if they are preachers and they foam at the mouth when talking about Islam. We will still take action (if they commit crimes),” said Mr Anwar.
GISB FOLLOWERS REMAIN IN MALAYSIAMeanwhile, Mr Razarudin on the same day told the media that the authorities believe that GISB followers may be financially dependent on the group. Hence, they are believed to have remained in Malaysia as they have no financial means to escape, Bernama reported.
Earlier this weekgoplay, the police said that they have seized and frozen close to RM5 million (US$1.21 million) in cash, vehicles and bank accounts, in addition to more than a dozen lots of land linked to GISB.
Malaysia's police chief Razarudin Husain (centre) during a media conference in Kuala Lumpur about the ongoing GISB raid on Sep 23, 2024. (Photo: CNA/Fadza Ishak)