In a report by the New Straits Times, the series of raids on 20 welfare homes under GISB Holdings Sdn Bhd (GISBH) over alleged child exploitation and abuse was the culmination of a six-month probe.
According to Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain, the police have been probing the company since 2011, even before the recent allegations against GISBH went viral on social media.
He told NST that he met representatives from the Research Centre for Deviant Teachings (Pukas) six months ago.
“They were the ones who passed us the initial information that facilitated the revisit of various police reports lodged against GISBH.”
This included a report lodged by a former GISBH member from Negeri Sembilan that was later retracted. Razarudin added that the police contacted the woman, who had later lodged a fresh report, and that the police opened investigations under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act.
“The section stipulates that it is an offence for anyone responsible for the care of a child to abandon, neglect or expose the said child to danger to cause him or her physical or emotional injury,” he explained.
Razarudin explained that this allowed the police to begin phase one of “Op Global” with the help of the Special Branch and Bukit Aman’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
“They were roped into gathering intelligence and building a case. Two days before the raids on the welfare homes in Selangor and Negri Sembilan, I attended a meeting with representatives from Special Branch and CID and was briefed on their findings.”
This ultimately led to the raids under phase two of Op Global.
Despite the probe beginning six months ago, Razarudin clarified that the police were not late to act as they could only make arrests after receiving credible leads.
“I also want to call on former GISBH members who have lodged police reports in the past and retracted them, to step forward and assist in investigations.”
GISB Holdings Sdn Bhd has since questioned the accusations, with GISBH executive chairman and CEO Nasiruddin Mohd Ali, saying that the authorities should have discussed the matter with them instead of “detaining” the children.
Stay tuned for more updates!
Also read: “We will fight for the truth” – GISBH CEO Questions Accusations & Investigations on Welfare Homes
