GEORGE TOWN: The Penang Zakat Board has confirmed that it has never received any kind of zakat payment from Global Ikhwan Services and Business Holdings Sdn Bhd (GISB) in the state, its chairman Datuk Dr Mohamad Abdul Hamid said.
The deputy chief minister said GISB had also never applied for any halal certification for its businesses.
"From what I have been told, in terms of zakat payment, we have never received anything from them.
"In terms of halal certification, they have never applied any for their businesses. (However), halal certification is not mandatory," he told newsmen here today.
Mohamad said some of the businesses had been in operations for 10 years.
There are only a handful of GISB-related companies in the state, he said.
"Nevertheless, investigations are still ongoing," he added.
Last month, the Penang government confirmed that the authorities had raided four premises linked to GISB in the state.
The premises were Rumah Jagaan Harapan Al Mahabbah in Bagan Buaya Changkat, Nibong Tebal; Rumah Permata Kasih Taman Seri Mengkuang in Kubang Semang; and Kedai Kek Dan Roti Ikhwan and Ikhwan BP Mart in Bandar Perda.
The Penang Islamic Religious Department (JHEAIPP) also seized six books suspected to be related to Al Arqam, which had been banned.
Mohamad said the 200-odd children rescued during the raids have now been placed in homes in the Seberang Prai Selatan (SPS) district.
"The children, from Year 1 to secondary school level, are currently placed in Kompleks Penyayang Sinar Kasih in Nibong Tebal.
"This is the information I obtained from the state Education Department," he said.
Mohamad said the state Mufti Department would meet to decide whether to declare GISB beliefs and teachings deviant and un-Islamic.
The Perlis Fatwa Committee was the first to declare GISBH's beliefs and teachings as deviant and un-Islamic.