On 11 September 2024, the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) initiated Operation Global (Op Global; ) to investigate reports of child neglect and sexual abuse at children's homes associated with Global Ikhwan Services and Business Holdings (GISB Holdings Sdn Bhd). Throughout the investigation, police rescued a total of 625 victims, aged between two and 28 years. As of 23 October 2024, 415 arrests have been made, with 60 individuals detained under SOSMA.
Background GISB Holdings Sdn Bhd (GISB) is a conglomerate reportedly holding assets valued at RM325 million, with business operations spanning 20 countries. The company was founded in 1997 by the remaining followers of Ashaari Muhammad, who also established Al-Arqam in 1968. It was formed three years after the Malaysian government banned al-Arqam in 1994 over concerns regarding its teachings. Initially operating as Rufaqa' Corporation, the company changed its name to Global Ikhwan following the ban on Rufaqa', and adopted its current name in 2010. According to the company's chief executive officer, the group was cleared of any legal wrongdoing by the police Special Branch.
GISB claims to employ 3,658 youth and 1,698 adults across its various businesses. However, it has faced allegations of using child labour by having minors sell goods through its business network, a claim the company denies.
Timeline
Raid on children's homes On 11 September 2024, a police report triggered a PDRM raid on 20 children's homes associated with GISB around Selangor and Negeri Sembilan. The initial toll of children rescued was 402, in which was 201 boys and 201 girls aged between one and 17 years old, in addition 171 suspects including teachers and wardens were remanded. The children were believed to be the offspring of GISB members currently stationed at GISB premises abroad. According to the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), some of the 402 children were allegedly sodomised and taught to sexually assault their peers. Health screenings conducted on 384 of the rescued children reportedly revealed physical injuries and signs of sexual abuse, with 13 cases of suspected sodomy. All of the rescued children were brought to PULAPOL for documentation. Out of 402 children, 10 who were disabled and autistic were handed over to the Department of Social Welfare. The total number of victims rescued during the operation reached 625, aged between two and 28. Of these, 553 were placed in 13 shelter homes, while 72 were returned to their families.
According to the police, from 2011 until September 2024, they had received 41 police reports against GISB, they also addressed allegations that the police reacted late on the information stating that the police were compiling information. The IGP also said 159 individuals out of the 171 suspects detained during the operation were remanded while the rest are minors and no need to be investigated. On 17 September 2024, the police later froze 96 bank accounts held by GISB with a total of RM581,552 under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (AMLA).
GISB's response First press release The day after the police raid, GISB issued a press release on Facebook, denying allegations of sodomy in the children's homes. Adib Attamimi, the company's chief coordination officer, also released a video statement on Facebook stating 'it is astonishing that we would neglect them. We must consider how strong they are in facing these challenges.'
Second press release On 19 September 2024, GISB issued a revised press release featuring its chief executive officer, Nasiruddin Mohd Ali, acknowledging isolated cases of sodomy among the children, but continuing to deny allegations of human trafficking.
Arrests Border arrest On 18 September 2024, two motorhomes displaying GISB logos were spotted at the Bukit Kayu Hitam ICQS Complex, heading towards Thailand. According to the Immigration Department of Malaysia (JIM), the vehicles were at the border to renew their expiring International Circulation Permits. Upon being alerted by JIM about the vehicles' departure from the ICQS complex, the Kedah Criminal Investigation Department intercepted the motorhomes, inspected the vehicles, and seized them. Five drivers and passengers were detained, including an individual reported to be the son of a GISB leader.
Arrest of GISB leadership and members On 19 September 2024, the company's chief executive officer (CEO), his wife and two children were among the 19 GISB executives who were remanded. This came after his press release acknowledging cases of sodomy in the children's homes. On 20 September 2024, seven members of GISB's Remaja Pembela Ummah was arrested to assist with an investigation into human trafficking. Those arrested include the sons of Ashaari Muhammad and GISB's CEO.
Mass raids and crackdowns on GISB-owned premises
On 21 September 2024, local governments in Malaysia, alongside federal government agencies and the PDRM, initiated mass raids and crackdowns on GISB-owned premises across Peninsular Malaysia. Kelantan police and the Kelantan Islamic Religious Affairs Department jointly raided the residence of Nasiruddin Mohd Ali in Kampung Panji, Kota Bharu, where 30 people were found, including his second wife and over 20 children. Documents and books allegedly linked to Al-Arqam were uncovered, with some buried by a riverbank and others reportedly burned after news of the CEO's arrest. The IGP also announced that since 18 September 2024, the raids on GISB had resulted in 200 arrests and 37 investigation papers being initiated.
In Bandar Country Homes, Rawang, the headquarters of GISB, the Selayang Municipal Council and Federal Reserve Unit conducted raids on GISB-owned business premises and confiscated all assets belonging to the company. During the operation, the police seized 455 pamphlets and related logos, which were handed over to the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM), along with strands of beard that were among the confiscated items.
On mainland Penang, four raids targeting children's homes and businesses were conducted by the Penang Islamic Religious Affairs Department and police, uncovering six books related to Al-Arqam, including some outlawed by the Ministry of Home Affairs in 2011. Meanwhile, in Malacca, 19 children were rescued after raids on GISB premises in Melaka Tengah, Alor Gajah, and Jasin by the Melaka Islamic Religious Department and police. Of the 24 individuals detained, 11 were suspected of following Al-Arqam teachings. In phase four of Operation Global, a total of 155 people were arrested, comprising 78 men and 77 women.
In Tapah, Perak, four siblings were rescued from a GISB premise, where they had been subjected to physical abuse by GISB members. The siblings had been separated from their father since 2021. Medical examinations revealed signs of abuse in one of the children, and one of the rescued children was identified as the child caned with a rattan in a viral video.
GISB's tax evasion case On 25 September 2024, a joint investigation between the Inland Revenue Board and police revealed that GISB never paid taxes on their business for years. The Ministry of Domestic Trade and Costs of Living later issued compounds amounting to RM 4.4m to 12 GISB-linked companies after the Companies Commission of Malaysia found they failed to submit their annual and financial statements.
Re-arrest of GISB members under SOSMA and further investigation On 25 September 2024, 34 GISB members were re-arrested under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (SOSMA) after their remand period ended, while 127 others were released on bail.
On 10 October 2024, an additional 16 senior GISB members, including the CEO and his wife, were re-arrested as part of an organised crime investigation, bringing the total number of detainees under SOSMA to 58. During the investigation, authorities froze overseas assets linked to GISB valued at RM52.4 million across 10 countries. The investigation, which also covers organised crime under Section 130V(1) of the Penal Code and offences under AMLA, remains ongoing with support from Interpol and international authorities.
On 23 October 2024, the IGP confirmed that investigations are ongoing into more than 30 individuals still detained under SOSMA in connection with GISB Holdings. Of the approximately 60 individuals arrested under SOSMA, 22 have been charged in the Selayang Sessions Court, while investigations into the remaining detainees continue. Razarudin also indicated that police are tracking down any remaining individuals linked to GISB.
On 30 October 2024, GISB CEO Nasiruddin Mohd Ali and his wife Azura Md Yusof filed a habeas corpus application challenging their detention under SOSMA. The hearing for their application is set for December 2024.
Legal challenges and responses On 9 October 2024, a group of lawyers representing families connected to GISB announced that they were preparing legal action against the government. They claimed that the separation of children from their families during the police operation violated legal protocols, including those outlined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The legal team stated that they are gathering evidence to challenge the legality of the children's detention and to reunite them with their families.
On 11 October 2024, Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail responded to the claims, defending the actions of the police and Social Welfare Department. He affirmed that all procedures followed legal standards and due process, explaining that some children had been separated from their parents for years. Saifuddin questioned the timing of the parents' demands to regain custody after the operation.
On 13 October 2024, a group of 96 parents whose children were taken during the raids, demanded the immediate return of their children. According to the group's spokesperson Tun Faisal Ismail Aziz, many of the parents involved had no affiliation with GISB and claimed the authorities had committed human rights violations, including unlawful detentions and coercion. The group called for a judicial review of the extended detention orders, transparency on the children's whereabouts, and the establishment of a Royal Commission of Inquiry to investigate the execution of Operation Global.
Parliamentary debate On 12 October 2024, it was announced that the operations and ongoing investigations into GISB would be debated during the Parliament session starting on 14 October. A ministerial statement was scheduled for the second day of the session, allowing Members of Parliament (MPs) to discuss the issue.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform), Azalina Othman, stated that three ministers would present their findings on the GISB issue in Parliament on 15 October 2024. Alongside the Home Minister, the ministers representing the Religious Affairs Department and the Ministry of Women, Family, and Community Development will also provide their insights into GISB's legal violations, religious teachings and the welfare of children linked to the organisation.
On 15 October 2024, Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail defended using SOSMA in the GISB case, citing serious allegations such as human trafficking and noting that investigations had extended to 18 foreign countries, where GISB-owned properties were identified. However, some Members of Parliament questioned the necessity of using SOSMA to detain 16 GISB members, including its CEO. Hassan Abdul Karim argued that, despite the accusations of deviant teachings, the legal rights of GISB members should be respected, while Takiyuddin Hassan added that SOSMA was disproportionate, given the lack of violent activities linked to the group.