Malaysian Authorities Rescue About 400 Children Linked To Banned Islamic Sect

By Iman Muttaqin Yusof and Ili Shazwani Ihsan

About400 children who were allegedly forced to live in squalid conditions, where many faced punishment and sexual abuse, were rescued during a nationwide police operation Wednesday from homes linked to the banned al-Arqam sect, Malaysian officials said.

The victims ranged from 1 to 17 years old. Nearly 200 staff members, including religious teachers, were detained during the raids on 18 homes in Selangor and Negeri Sembilan that investigators linked to the sect.

Malaysian religious authorities have accused al-Arqam of promoting deviant Islamic teachings.

Razarudin Husain, Malaysia’s police inspector general, identified six key suspects including a female religious teacher and five males in supervisory roles, as among those detained.

“These children were abused under the pretext of religious teachings,” Razarudin told reporters in Pahang state. “From our initial investigation, it is clear they were indoctrinated from a young age and manipulated by the adults running these homes.”

He said many of the children were coerced into soliciting donations under the guise of Islamic charity.

Police have started investigations against Global Ikhwan Services and Business Holdings (GISBH), the owner of the homes, under the Anti-Human Trafficking Act, the Child Protection Act, and the Sexual Offenses against Children Act.

“We’ve opened eight case files so far and we are working closely with the Attorney General’s Chambers to prepare charges,” Razarudin said.

GISBH has been tied to the al-Arqam sect. Malaysian authorities have alleged that the sect promoted deviant Islamic teachings, including the veneration of its founder, Ashaari Muhammad, as a quasi-divine figure. Although banned in 1994, al-Arqam’s followers are believed to have continued their activities underground, often rebranding under different names.

A political science professor who has written about al-Arqam questioned the link with GISBH, which has denied the allegations.

Acting on complaints

Police launched the crackdown after receiving reports of abuse earlier this month, including allegations of sexual misconduct and severe neglect. In one report from southern district Port Dickson, a complainant detailed instances of children being forced to engage in sexual acts, police said.

Razarudin told reporters that many of the rescued children were not orphans, as previously claimed, but were the children of GISBH members who were placed in these homes as part of indoctrination efforts.

“From what we’ve gathered, the modus operandi of GISBH was to exploit these children for financial gain while indoctrinating them with deviant religious teachings,” Razarudin said, calling the group’s use of religious sentiment to gain public sympathy “particularly insidious.”

Misconduct allegations have dogged GISBH for years – since 2011, over 40 complaints have been lodged against it, according to police records.

“For now, the rescued children are being housed at the Malaysian Police Training Center, where they are undergoing health screenings and documentation,” Razarudin told BenarNews.

Allegations denied

In a statement on Wednesday, GISBH said it was committed to following the law.

“These accusations are baseless, malicious, and intended to create a negative perception of GISB Holdings Sdn. Bhd.,” spokesman Mokhtar Tajuddin said in a statement. “We are fully committed to abiding by the law and supporting the government’s efforts in nation-building.”

Religious Affairs Minister Mohd Na’im Mokhtar had previously warned against any activities deviating from Islamic teachings, following social media claims that GISBH was promoting deviant beliefs.

“This is a serious matter that affects the very foundation of our faith,” Mohd Na’im said in a statement last week.

“Any activities that may lead to the misguidance of Muslims must be reported immediately to the authorities.”

The Ministries of Women, Family and Community Development and Religious Affairs did not immediately respond to BenarNews requests for comment.

Meanwhile, Ahmad Fauzi Abdul Hamid, a political science professor at Universiti Sains Malaysia who has written extensively on Al-Arqam, questioned the targeting of GISBH.

Ahmad Fauzi said that while the sect had been proven to promote deviant teachings, GISBH may not be directly linked to it.

“Global Ikhwan is not really from Darul Arqam but rather an intersection from Rufaqa, a splinter group,” Ahmad Fauzi told BenarNews, using another name for al-Arqam.
He acknowledged that while some individual members may continue to follow the old teachings, GISBH agreed in 2013 to abandon those practices as part of an agreement with the government.

“If some members are still adhering to the old ways, then it’s appropriate for the government to take action,” he said.

Nisha David in Kuala Lumpur contributed to this report.