MELAKA: Nineteen children were rescued during a series of raids at various premises managed by Global Ikhwan Services and Business Holdings (GISB) in the state, says Datuk Rahmad Mariman.
The Melaka education, higher education, and religious affairs committee chairman said that 285 items were also confiscated during the raids including 12 pictures of banned Al-Arqam group founder Ashaari Muhammad, 138 books and 33 compact discs relating to Al-Arqam teachings and indoctrination.
"The children who are below the age of 18 were brought to the homes under the purview of the Melaka Welfare Department," he said on Saturday(Sept 21).
Rahmad said 11 individuals, including eight women aged between 18 to 45 years, were also detained on suspicion of following the teaching of Al-Arqam and having in possession of the prohibited materials relating to the sect.
He said the Al-Arqam movement and teaching has been categorised as a deviant sect in the state through two fatwa that were gazetted in 1994 and 2006.
Rahmad added that 72 officers from various departments and enforcement agencies were involved in the Saturday morning (Sept 21) raids at 19 premises managed by GISB across the three districts in the state.
He said ten of the premises were located in Melaka Tengah district, eight in Alor Gajah and one in Jasin.
Earlier, Melaka police conducted raids at various premises belonging to GISB in the state.
The raids were carried out at the organisation's charity house, a restaurant, a curtain shop, a mini market, a bakery and a factory processing instant mee in Serkam here.
Most of the premises that were raided had been vacated, including two bungalows used as charity homes by the organisation in Krubong in the Melaka Tengah district.
The raid that was led by the Melaka police was also joined by officers from the state Welfare Department, the Melaka Islamic Religious Department, the Registrar of Societies, and the Companies Commission of Malaysia.
Media reports on Saturday(Sept 21) quoted the Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Razarudin Husain confirming that several raids were conducted by his men at business centres belonging to GISBH including its headquarters in Bandar Country Homes in Rawang, Selangor.
The raids carried out early Saturday morning (Sept 21) also took place at various locations, nationwide.
