KUALA LUMPUR: The 402 children rescued during a police raid on 20 welfare homes yesterday are believed to be the children of members of GISB Holdings Sdn Bhd, said Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain.
Initial investigations following the crackdown on these homes in Selangor and Negri Sembilan on Wednesday suggest that the children are fathered by GISB members.
Razarudin said that the 171 suspects have been remanded for a week.
"The homes that were raided have been temporarily closed and might be seized as the course of investigation progresses.
"Based on our investigations, the children rescued are all believed to be children of GISB members.
"We remanded the 171 suspects to help with further investigations into the case," he said when contacted today.
He said they were also working closely with several ministries and agencies to complete investigations as well as facilitate further processes and procedures involving the rescued victims.
"We are also conducting further investigations to determine if there is more action to be taken," he said, adding that this included allegations that the children did not attend school.
Razarudin said the children should have attended school but instead received education within these homes.
"We may liaise with the Education Ministry on this aspect."
Meanwhile, Razarudin said the welfare homes were supposedly opened to facilitate care of orphans.
"We want to check if these homes were registered and had valid documentation.
"From there we may be able to check if other offences were committed," he said, adding that they will be calling a number of witnesses to have their statements recorded.
He said the rescued victims are currently going through the process of documentation as well as medical and health evaluations.
"We may also take DNA samples. We know that these children were fathered by GISB members.
"Health Ministry and Welfare Department representatives are currently on site at the Police Training Centre where the children have been currently placed," he said.
Razarudin's comments follows reports that police had raided 20 welfare homes linked to the company early Wednesday morning.
Razarudin had confirmed that the homes raided were linked to the Global Ikhwan Group.
It was reported that police investigations into some of the welfare homes raided earlier have led to claims of sodomy and abuse against children.
Based on intelligence gathered, police found that some victims were sodomised by their caregivers.
Police also received information that they were also taught the act of sodomy and forced to sodomise other children in the home