PETALING JAYA: A Selangor-based business empire, which is at the centre of a storm over allegations of abuse, has long been on the radar of religious authorities for supposed deviant teachings, says the state’s mufti Datuk Dr Anhar Opir.
“We have been monitoring them for deviant teachings. We agree with the move by the police to take action against them,” he said, referring to Global Ikhwan Services and Business Holdings (GISB). “That is all I can say for now,” he said when contacted yesterday.
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Anhar said GISB, whose headquarters is in Rawang, has many outlets throughout the state.
Perlis mufti Datuk Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin said the state’s Islamic authorities had been monitoring GISB too as some of its outlets were within their jurisdiction.
This was due to suspicion that the group was promoting deviant teachings behind closed doors, he said.
“I was approached by some research groups who were studying GISB as they apparently had evidence of wrongdoings.
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“However, they could not get other states to take action against GISB. Apparently, they were told that GISB was well-connected,” he said when contacted.
Based on the information provided by these research groups, Mohd Asri said he spoke out publicly three weeks ago about “a group of businesses practising deviant teachings and committing crimes involving children” but without naming them.
“As religious authorities, we alerted the police and left it to them to take action.”
A former member of GISB, who used to stay at one of its homes until he ran away five years ago, recalled being tasked with packing noodles when he was younger.
“It was normal for our group leaders to hug and touch us while they cared for us. I did not think if it was wrong,” said Roslan Aiman (not his real name), 24.
He also claimed to have been slapped if he chatted with other boys.
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“Later, they placed me at a GISB mart to be the cashier,” he added.
He said he had been with them since the age of two when his parents left him there.
“I met my parents about 10 times during GISB events throughout my time there. It was always awkward, as to me they are strangers.”
Roslan, who has no formal education, recalled visiting the group leaders in “nice houses”.
“We saw them sitting on nice sofas.
“We usually went there to perform our dance in our red jubah and songkok ikhwan (tall songkok),” he said.
Eventually, Roslan said he left five years ago when he could not get permission from his “leader” to marry a girl from the same home.
“I lived on the streets for a month until a shop owner took pity on me,” said Roslan, who now works as a storekeeper.
Despite his new life now, he said he feels guilty for having abandoned the “father” who started a movement that spawned the business empire.
