IPOH: Parents and guardians of children rescued from Global Ikhwan Services and Business Holdings (GISB) centres can contact the police for information on their whereabouts.
Federal Criminal Investigation Department director Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain said parents of rescued children have been urged to step forward to assist police investigations from the start of the police operation against GISB, called Op Global.
"If any parents have been separated from their children, they are free to ask the police for information. There are no restrictions on doing so," he told reporters at the Perak police senior officer's mess here today.
He was asked about the claims of some GISB members that they were in the dark about the whereabouts of their children placed under government care.
Mohd Shuhaily said all government agencies involved in the probe into GISB are not worried about threats of legal action.
He said procedures were in place to safeguard the children and ensure they were released into the care of their guardians.
Previously, Women, Family, and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said the government would return rescued children to their guardians, though court orders would be required.
In total 560 children were rescued from centres run by GISB which is at the centre of a police probe involving alleged exploitation, abuse and forced labour.
GISB has since denied the allegations.
Earlier, Mohd Shuhaily witnessed the handing over of duties between the outgoing Perak police chief, Datuk Azizi Mat Aris and Deputy Commissioner Zulkafli Sariaat.
Azizi is retiring, and his deputy, Zulkafli, will take over as acting Perak police chief.