Inspector-General of Police Razarudin Husain said this when asked if the parents of children that the authorities had rescued from the welfare homes, purportedly linked to the company, were aware of their children’s fate.
Razarudin said most of the children’s parents were GISBH members.
“So how can the parents not be aware?” he told reporters at the Kuala Lumpur police training centre where the victims are currently being placed.
Razarudin said it was common for some GISBH members, which had been estimated to number around 10,000, to have multiple wives, resulting in large families.
For example, some members have four wives and up to 34 children, but they only take care of two and don’t know the exact location of the remaining 32.
“If we were to ask for their names, the member might have even forgotten the names of his 32 children,” Razaruddin added.
Horses, rabbits, peacocks seized
Razarudin said police have frozen more than RM882,000 in 153 bank accounts linked to GISBH and seized 38 vehicles, estimated to be worth RM3.94 million, as well as 14 plots of land.
Also seized were nine horses, 14 rabbits, and three peacocks as well as cash and two watches.
He said the police have also opened an investigation into threats made against Perlis mufti Asri Zainul Abidin.
On Sept 11, police rescued 402 children from 18 welfare homes in Selangor and two in Negeri Sembilan, which the authorities had linked to GISBH.
Police said their investigations showed that at least 13 of the children were sodomised or taught to sexually assault others.
GISBH had denied it operated the welfare homes and rejected claims children under its care were sodomised or forced to sexually assault others, although its CEO Nasiruddin Ali has since admitted that one or two cases of sodomy had occurred within the organisation in the past.
Razarudin said police may use all available legal provisions, including the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma), in the investigation into GISBH.
The probe is currently moving in that direction, he said, referring to Sosma.
“But we will investigate (GISBH) under the relevant laws, including the Child Act, the Sexual Offences Against Children Act and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act.”
Razarudin also said issues related to GISBH’s religious doctrines would be handled by the Islamic development department and the National Council of Islamic Religious Affairs. Investigations showed the company followed certain teachings of Al-Arqam founder, Ashaari Mohammad, who died in 2010.