KUALA LUMPUR: Health screening results for 392 children rescued from charity homes linked to Global Ikhwan Service and Business Holdings (GISBH) during Op Global have uncovered signs of both physical and emotional abuse among the victims.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain said that the health screening, which involved 202 boys and 190 girls, was completed by the Ministry of Health (MOH) yesterday, however, further assessment is needed, particularly regarding the emotional health of all the rescued victims.
“The primary criminal elements we have identified affecting the victims include physical and emotional abuse, as evidenced by viral videos on social media showing the victims being beaten, whipped, and having their chests pressed, as well as child grooming.
“Additionally, there are elements of child labour and exploitation, with those under 18 being forced to work by selling goods. Police investigations have also found signs of child neglect and issues of malnutrition,” he told a press conference at the Police Training Centre (Pulapol) here today.
Also present was Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department (CID) director Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain.
Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) deputy director-general (Policy) Datuk Dr Sirajuddin Suhaimee, emergency consultant from the Ministry of Health Dr Noorzilawati Ahmad and Department of Social Welfare representative Wan Noraidah Wan Mohd Zain were also present at the press conference.
Meanwhile, Razarudin said the Department of Social Welfare has issued temporary custody orders for the 149 children, aged between one and 10.
“This temporary custody order is in accordance with Section 25 (2) of the Child Act 2001. These children have been moved to four safe shelters, while the remaining 243 individuals are still at Pulapol Kuala Lumpur and will be gradually transferred to temporary care centres,” he said.
He added that the police have frozen 96 accounts belonging to GISB, which have been identified under Section 44 (1) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.
“The frozen accounts hold a total value of RM581,552.31, and four accounts have also been ordered to be closed. Additionally, the police have seized eight vehicles owned by the company,” he said.
Meanwhile, Razarudin said the identities of the parents of most of the rescued children have been identified, but so far none have come forward to claim them.
“...most of them are children of members. They may not come forward because they might be unaware that their children have been rescued or perhaps because GISBH previously claimed that all the children were orphans,” he said.
He added that, in some cases, this was also due to early marriages among GISB members, which were not registered, resulting in the children being given ‘bin Abdullah’ or ‘binti Abdullah’ to their names.
Razarudin said only two of the 20 shelters housing the children were registered with the Department of Social Welfare.
In the Sept 11 operation, police rescued 402 children and teenagers—201 boys and 201 girls aged between one and 17—suspected to have been victims of exploitation at 18 charity homes in Selangor and two in Negeri Sembilan.
The raid also revealed instances of neglect and abuse of the children and teenagers residing in the charity homes, leading to the arrest of 171 individuals, including 105 women.
