Malaysia Rescues 402 Abused Children, Arrests 171

402 Children Freed from Abuse in Malaysia Religious Homes

“Child victims and religious sentiments were used to gather sympathy and funds from the outside...”

Malaysian police rescue 402 children from abusive religious care homes, arrest 171 suspects. Children were subjected to physical and sexual abuse, forced labour, and denied medical care.

In a major operation on Wednesday, Malaysian police liberated 402 children from 18 religious care homes, following disturbing allegations of torture and sexual abuse masquerading as spiritual treatment.

The rescue effort, prompted by community tips about child molestation, resulted in the arrest of 171 suspects linked to the abuse. Police raids were conducted in Selangor and Negeri Sembilan states, targeting facilities where minors were allegedly subjected to horrific mistreatment.

Malaysian Police Inspector-General Razarudin Husain revealed shocking details of the abuse, stating that victims, ranging from just one to seventeen years old, were forced to perform sexual acts on each other. Others were brutally punished with hot spoons, leaving them with physical and emotional scars.

Razarudin's disturbing report further revealed that suspects, aged between 17 and 64, exploited the children under the guise of religious treatment, inappropriately touching them. The minors were also subjected to gruesome punishments with heated metal objects, and were denied medical attention when they fell ill, only receiving care when their conditions became life-threatening.

He said, “there were a few children, aged five years old, who were burnt with a hot spoon when they made a mistake.

“The caretakers also touched the children's bodies as if to conduct 'medical checks.”

Razarudin added that, “child victims and religious sentiments were used to gather sympathy and funds from the outside."

Investigations have uncovered that many of the children were not orphans, but were sent to the care homes by their parents for Islamic education, unaware of the abuse that awaited them. The facilities in question are linked to the Islamic Global Ikhwan Group (GISB), a prominent Islamic conglomerate, which has denied any involvement in the alleged wrongdoing.

The raids were prompted by earlier reports of child exploitation, molestation, and sexual abuse at a separate care facility in Port Dickson, which led authorities to launch a broader investigation into similar facilities, ultimately resulting in the rescue of the 402 children and the arrest of 171 suspects.

The Port Dickson case, which sparked the large-scale operation on Wednesday, led to the arrest of six individuals aged 20-40, prompting a police investigation into GISB's alleged involvement in child exploitation. The probe has since confirmed a connection between the two cases.

According to Deputy Inspector-General of Police Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay, the investigation has revealed that GISB's primary objective is to establish care homes for the purpose of soliciting donations. Despite this, GISB denied the allegations on Wednesday, September 11, and committed to fully cooperating with the authorities during the investigation.

Speaking on Facebook the group said, “Our stance is very clear: we are committed to always adhering to the law and supporting the government's aspirations in developing the country.

“The company will not compromise with any activity that goes against the law, particularly regarding the exploitation of children.”

Global Ikwhan, a conglomerate with a diverse portfolio, operates in various industries including food and beverage, media, healthcare, travel, and real estate, according to its website. The company boasts a significant global presence, employing over 5,000 people across 20 countries, with business ventures such as a restaurant chain in prominent cities like London, Paris, Australia, and Dubai.

The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia has called for tougher regulations in care facilities following the recent tragic event. According to children's commissioner Farah Nini Dusuki, the root of the problem lies in the lack of proper regulation and supervision of these facilities, highlighting the need for more robust oversight to prevent such abuses from occurring.

The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia has called for tougher regulations in care facilities following the recent tragic event. According to children's commissioner Farah Nini Dusuki, the root of the problem lies in the lack of proper regulation and supervision of these facilities, highlighting the need for more robust oversight to prevent such abuses from occurring.

She added that, “we have a serious issue with monitoring and supervision, which is why we need the community to be more alert.”

The 402 children rescued in the operation consisted of an equal number of girls and boys, with 201 females and 201 males. Police Inspector-General Razarudin Husain revealed that among the 171 suspects arrested were individuals in positions of trust, including a teacher and dormitory caretakers, who were entrusted with the care and well-being of the children.