KUALA LUMPUR: Police will review past reports against Global Ikhwan Sdn Bhd (GISB), including those lodged by complainants who later decided to retract them.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain said that from 2011 until September 7 this year, 49 police reports had been made against GISB nationwide, with 19 reports lodged in Selangor alone.
He said police checks showed that Negri Sembilan had 13 police reports, Johor five, Kedah three, Pahang and Penang two each, and the rest, Perlis, KL, Melaka, Sabah, and Terengganu each have one, respectively, implicating GISB in one way or another.
"In some cases, we noticed that reports were made and then retracted by the complainants, mostly former workers of GISB.
"The complainants apparently were forced to retract the report they made, after being threatened by a certain quarter believed to be associated with GISB.
"We are also going to look at all those reports too," he said.
Razarudin said police are investigating the reports and allegations against the Islamic product brand under the Penal Code from various angles.
He said some offences were framed under Section 31(1) of the Child Act 2001.
"Other investigations have been opened under the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants (Atipsom) Act 2007, and Section 354 of the Penal Code for using force with intent to outrage modesty," he said.
Razarudin said police, together with officers from the Welfare Department and several other agencies, conducted 18 raids in Selangor and two in Negri Sembilan, all linked to GISB, following four police reports lodged by the home occupant's family member recently.
The family alleged that the children were abused and sexually assaulted by the caretakers, who also forced them to perform such acts on their peers.
Razarudin said preliminary checks showed that the modus operandi used by these home operators was to indoctrinate children from a very young age in the name of Islam.
"We believe the operators had been using the Islam sentiment to educate these children, while at the same time using them to draw sympathy from public.
"Some of these children have also been fondled and touched all over their body, supposedly a form of traditional treatment by the caretakers at some of these homes."