Malaysian police rescue 400 minors from suspected sexual abuse

12/9/2024 13:04

        Malaysian authorities rescued more than 400 children on Wednesday suspected of being sexually abused at charity homes run by a prominent Islamic business organisation with links to a banned religious sect.
        
        Inspector-General of Police Razarudin Husain said, police arrested 171 adults, including 'ustazs' or Islamic religious teachers, during coordinated raids on 20 premises across two Malaysian states.
        
        Those rescued included 201 boys and 201 girls, aged between one and 17, after reports were filed this month that alleged neglect, abuse, sexual harassment and molestation, Razarudin told a press conference. He did not say who wrote the reports.
        
        Razarudin said, the homes were all run by Global Ikhwan Services and Business (GISB).
        
        In a statement late Wednesday, GISB denied the sexual abuse allegations and said it did not manage the charity homes. The company said, "It is not in our policy to plan and carry out actions that are against Islamic and national laws," adding that it would file a police report and demand an investigation.