KUALA LUMPUR: Police are investigating claims by the Malaysian Centre for the Study of Deviant Teachings (Pukas) suggesting that the Global Ikhwan Services and Business Holdings (GISB) owns several quarantine centres in various locations both within and outside the country.
In a statement, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain said the investigation comes after a post made by the centre on its Facebook account.
"Police are investigating information uploaded via Pukas' Facebook account which claims the existence of GISB quarantine centres in several locations both within and outside the country.
"These quarantine centres are believed to be places of indoctrination and mental abuse for problematic GISB members," said Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain in a statement, today.
Razarudin added that police have also opened 10 investigation papers under Section 12 of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act (ATIPSOM) 2007, following police reports related to forced labour issues received from several individuals who had previously worked with GISB.
Razarudin previously said a total of 10 papers were opened - six in Selangor and four in Negeri Sembilan - during the first phase of the investigation.
Meanwhile, he added that police are actively tracing assets linked to or owned by GISB.
He also said the police, in cooperation with the Inland Revenue Board, are investigating GISB's recent tax assessment.
"This investigation focuses on several companies under GISBH, which are believed to have failed to comply with certain provisions of the Income Tax Act 1967."
Earlier this month, the police rescued 402 people, some as young as one, from GISB-linked welfare homes who had endured various forms of exploitation and abuse, including being sodomised.
GISB has since denied the allegations of child exploitation and sexual abuse.
On Sept 23, Razarudin said under phase four of Op Global, 187 more victims were rescued, comprising 100 males and 87 females.