GISB case: Over half of rescued kids underweight, Dewan Rakyat told

KUALA LUMPUR: Over half the 558 children linked to Global Ikhwan Services and Business Holdings (GISB) who are currently under the Social Welfare Department's care are underweight, the Dewan Rakyat was told.

Meanwhile, 2.7% of them fall into the obese category, Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said on Tuesday (Oct 15).

She also said 5.7% or about 30 of them do not have parents or lack information about them while 94.3% acknowledged having at least one living biological parent.

"Only three children possess a Disability Card (Kad OKU), but 27 others exhibit symptoms of disabilities.

"When it comes to education, 56.3% of these children have attended some form of schooling," she said in her explanatory statement on the GISB case.

Nancy said a cognitive assessment conducted on 385 children aged seven and above found that 71.95% show no signs of cognitive disorders, 20.26% experience moderate cognitive issues, and 7.79% suffer from severe cognitive disorders.

She added that the Social Welfare Department had obtained a two-month temporary custody order for the children from the court under Section 25(2)(a) of the Child Act 2001.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Mohd Na’im Mokhtar, meanwhile, told the House that witness statements from those involved with GISB indicated that its teachings deviated from Islam.

He said this was learned following interviews conducted by the Islamic Development Department (Jakim).

The GISB investigation is to be debated in the Dewan Rakyat under a special motion.

Earlier, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said in his explanatory statement that the authorities were resolving identification issues involving many of the 625 rescued children before reintegrating them into the education system.