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2024-09-13 Olde Tyme Religion
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Malaysia police rescue 402 minors in care homes over abuse claims
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[BBC] Malaysian police have rescued 402 children and teenagers that they suspect were physically and sexually abused across 20 care homes.
The victims, aged between one to 17, were said to have endured various forms of abuse, with some allegedly forced to perform sexual acts on other children, said Police Inspector-General Razarudin Husain at a press conference.
Police have arrested 171 suspects, including religious teachers and caretakers.
The care homes are allegedly linked to a prominent Islamic conglomerate which has issued a statement denying any wrongdoing.
Police raids on Wednesday across 20 welfare homes in the states of Selangor and Negeri Sembilan were prompted by reports earlier this month of child exploitation, molestation and sexual abuse at another facility in Negeri Sembilan state.
At a press conference on Wednesday, Insp Razarudin told reporters that some of the suspects - aged between 17 to 64 - would allegedly touch the children, claiming it was part of a religious treatment. Some children were also reportedly taught to perform similar sexual acts on other children at the home.
Children were also "punished using heated metal objects" and those who were ill were not allowed to seek medical treatment until their condition turned critical, he added.
The children will be temporarily housed at a police centre in the capital Kuala Lumpur and will undergo health checks, said Insp Razarudin.
Initial investigations found that many children were placed in these homes by their parents so they could undergo religious education, according to state news agency Bernama.
The raids come days after police opened an investigation against the Islamic Global Ikhwan Group (GISB) business group
| …any connection to the local branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, the Ikhwan? |
over child exploitation. The police has since confirmed that the two cases are linked.
Deputy Inspector-General of Police Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said initial investigations have revealed that GISB's modus operandi is to set up welfare homes to collection donations, said a report by the New Straits Times.
The group denied the allegations in a statement posted to Facebook on Wednesday.
"The company will not compromise with any activity that goes against the law, particularly regarding the exploitation of children," it said.
GISB has hundreds of businesses across 20 countries, operating across sectors from hospitality, to food, to education.
They were rescued during a nationwide police operation Wednesday from homes linked to the banned al-Arqam sect, Malaysian officials said.
Malaysian religious authorities have accused al-Arqam of promoting deviant Islamic teachings.
Razarudin Husain, Malaysia’s police inspector general, identified six key suspects including a female religious teacher and five males in supervisory roles, as among those detained.
He said many of the children were coerced into soliciting donations under the guise of Widows & Orphans Ammunition Fund.
GISBH has been tied to the al-Arqam sect. Malaysian authorities have alleged that the sect promoted deviant Islamic teachings, including the veneration of its founder, Ashaari Muhammad, as a quasi-divine figure. Although banned in 1994, al-Arqam’s followers are believed to have continued their activities underground, often rebranding under different names.
Razarudin told news hounds that many of the rescued children were not orphans, as previously claimed, but were the children of GISBH members who were placed in these homes as part of indoctrination efforts.
"From what we’ve gathered, the modus operandi of GISBH was to exploit these children for financial gain while indoctrinating them with deviant religious teachings," Razarudin said, calling the group’s use of religious sentiment to gain public sympathy "particularly insidious."
Misconduct allegations have dogged GISBH for years — since 2011, over 40 complaints have been lodged against it, according to police records.
Meanwhile,
...back at the barn, a little lightbulb figuratively appeared over Bossy's head...
Ahmad Fauzi Abdul Hamid, a political science professor at Universiti Sains Malaysia who has written extensively on al-Arqam, questioned the targeting of GISBH.
Ahmad Fauzi said that while the sect had been proven to promote deviant teachings, GISBH may not be directly linked to it.
"Global Ikhwan is not really from Darul Arqam but rather an intersection from Rufaqa, a splinter group," Ahmad Fauzi told BenarNews, using another name for al-Arqam.
He acknowledged that while some individual members may continue to follow the old teachings, GISBH agreed in 2013 to abandon those practices as part of an agreement with the government.
"If some members are still adhering to the old ways, then it’s appropriate for the government to take action," he said.
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Posted by Skidmark 2024-09-13 00:00||
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