Several businesses believed to be associated with GISBH such as restaurants, bakeries, groceries and laundries have seen a drop in customers following the disclosures.
A check in several states today found that most premises were not open for business, with no explanation provided on the closures.
Izzuan Ishak, 42, a regular of a GISBH restaurant in Taman Rapat, Ipoh, who frequents the shop almost every day, said it has been closed since yesterday.
Another customer, Firdaus Hashim, 37, also said he was surprised that GISBH-operated shops in the area closed without any notice.
“Maybe they are starting to feel the backlash from the issues that are plaguing the company now and people have started to shy away from their businesses,” he said.
At Section 13 in Shah Alam, restaurants and groceries linked to GISBH were closed. According to members of the public, the authorities had ordered the closure of the shops three days ago.
A woman known only as Suri said the company’s restaurant was often crowded especially at breakfast and lunch time.
“When the news about them broke, I was really horrified because I didn’t know it was such a big case since nothing was amiss or felt strange when I went there. I only noticed that the men would work at the front and the women would cook in the kitchen,” she said.
A restaurant believed to be associated with the company in Jalan Sultan Zainal Abidin, Kuala Terengganu, also stopped operating since yesterday, with their chairs, tables and shelves still stacked.
A worker at a nearby shop, who only wanted to be known as Nora, said the restaurant had been quiet since the news reports about child exploitation and sexual crimes.
“This GISBH restaurant is usually open every day including Fridays and Saturdays, from morning to evening. In Kuala Terengganu it is really hard to find a restaurant that is open on Fridays. If it’s a Friday, there will be many people at this GISBH restaurant,” she said.
A nearby resident, Nazri Ghani, 50, said the restaurant had been operating for more than 10 years and most of its employees were young men who were in their early teens and early 20s.
In Kota Bharu, Kelantan, a restaurant believed to be linked to GISBH was found to be chained and padlocked, while the bakery and supermarket operated by the company in Gua Musang and Tumpat were also shuttered.
GISBH business premises such as a bakery, laundromat and restaurant in Kuantan, Pahang have also stopped operating, while a villa in Beserah also looks deserted with the entrance closed.
Pahang police chief Yahaya Othman said his personnel were monitoring GISBH-linked companies that were operating in the state.
On Sept 11, police rescued 402 children from 20 welfare homes in Selangor and Negeri Sembilan who were found to have suffered physical and emotional abuse and had been exploited for labour.