KUALA LUMPUR: Pahang becomes the third state after Perlis and Selangor to declare the practices and beliefs of GISB Holdings Sdn Bhd (GISBH) linked to child exploitation activities and the alleged doctrine of religious fanaticism as deviant and misguided.
The ruling was agreed upon by the Pahang State Sharia Law Consultative Committee at a special meeting that was convened last Wednesday, with the Sultan of Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah having consented to it.
Pahang Mufti Prof Datuk Dr Asmadi Mohamed Naim said it was based on two beliefs that allegedly occurred in the group, which was to continue the belief and practice in Aurad Muhammadiah brought by al-Arqam that had been gazetted as heretical and deviant in 1994.
The second is to believe that the founder of al-Arqam Ashaari Muhammad who died in 2010 is not dead but unseen.
He said, the committee also decided that the economic system developed by GISBH followers is not recognized as an Islamic economy and does not conform to the Sharia.
In addition, the Muzakarah Committee of the National Council for Islamic Religious Affairs of Malaysia (MKI Fatwa Committee) has made a decision regarding the legal view on the GISBH doctrine during a meeting on Sept 23 and 24.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Mohd Na’im Mokhtar said the legal opinion will be brought to the Council of Rulers which will be sitting on Oct 23 and 24, to get approval.
Mohd Na’im said after the Council of Rulers gave approval to the legal opinion, the states will forward to the state fatwa committees chaired by their respective muftis.
In SELANGOR, JAIS Director Datuk Mohd Shahzihan Ahmad said as many as 108 individuals linked to GISBH who were previously detained by the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (JAIS) may have to undergo a rehabilitation process as part of the punishment.
Clearly, the actions involved are in line with the decision of the Selangor State Fatwa Committee which ruled that GISBH and its network deviate from the true teachings of Islam.
In SINGAPORE, the Singapore Mualaf Association (MCAS) denied any connection with GISBH or the Al-Arqam movement following several social media posts linking them to the movement.
Its president, Muhammad Imran Kuna, said MCAS, also known as Darul Arqam Singapura, said the association will not hesitate to take action against such movements, including legal action.
Meanwhile, in KEDAH, Home Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said police investigations into the GISBH case was carried out comprehensively from various angles of legal provisions, resulting in the number of arrests of individuals linked with the organization and the numbers can change accordingly based on the investigation.
Saifuddin Nasution said that at the initial stage of the investigation, only four legal provisions involving agencies under the Home Ministry were used, but now the investigation has increased to 10 legal provisions under various agencies of the ministry.
He said among the laws used for the investigation included the Penal Code, the Children Act 2001, the Child Sexual Offenses Act 2017, the Organizations Act 1966, the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act (ATIPSOM) 2007 and the Birth Registration Act and Death 1957.
At the beginning of last September, the Royal Malaysian Police launched a Global Op and raided charity houses throughout Peninsular Malaysia linked to GISBH because they were suspected of being involved in child and religious exploitation activities.
The raid saw a total of 572 victims successfully rescued and led to the arrest of 359 GISBH followers including top management.
