KUALA LUMPUR: Children were separated from their parents and some even subjected to 500 squats for “disciplinary breaches” by the Global Ikhwan Service and Business Holding Sdn Bhd (GISB), reveals the Home Minister.
Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said these findings were made when the children were rescued during Ops Global involving the company by the authorities.
He added that some of the children were separated from their families from as young as two years old and were instructed to work under the pretence of “practical training”.
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"If they did any wrongdoings, for something as simple as not queuing up properly, they would be punished with - not 100 - but 500 ketuk ketampi (squats).
"According to assessments by psychologists – either through the police’s D11 unit or the Welfare Department – these children missed their parents, some don’t even know them,” he said when winding up a special motion on the issues about GISB in the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday (Oct 15).
Earlier, 12 MPs debated on the special motion, where Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Mohd Na’im Mokhtar and Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri gave their explanatory statements.
Saifuddin said of the 625 children rescued, 597 have been confirmed to have proper identification documents, such as birth certificates or MyKad.
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“Efforts are ongoing to verify the identities of the remaining 28 children, many of whom face challenges related to their citizenship status,” he added.
He also said that the police operation spanned 300 premises, resulting in 415 arrests in accordance with the rule of law.
“These included two clinics, 99 businesses, a farm, four educational institutions, and 134 private homes. Investigations revealed significant financial misconduct, with money intended for the company reportedly diverted into personal accounts of board members,” he said.
As part of the investigation, Saifuddin said that the Malaysian authorities have expanded their efforts internationally, seeking cooperation from Interpol for assistance.
Saifuddin said it was necessary to arrest GISB under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma) as the group was big and the police needed more time for investigations.
“Due to the magnitude of the crime, we invoked Sosma which within 28 days, we will bring them to justice,” he added.
