KANGAR: Most of the GISB Holdings (GISBH) franchise outlets in Perlis have ceased their operations.
It is understood that the outlets have closed down even before the Perlis Fatwa Committee declared the organisation a deviant group earlier today (Sept 20).
Checks at Jalan Siakap 1 in Kuala Perlis today, where four GISBH outlets are located, found that all the premises — comprising Ikhwan Laundry, Kafe Ikhwan, Ikhwan Bakery and Ikhwan Mart — have ceased operations.
The business signboards for Kafe Ikhwan and Ikhwan Mart have also been taken down from the premises.
Last week, the outlets were still operating as usual despite massive police crackdown on welfare homes linked to the organisation in Selangor and Negri Sembilan recently.
According to several traders in the area, the outlets began shuttering their businesses a few days ago.
Earlier today (Sept 20), the Perlis Fatwa Committee declared the beliefs and teachings of GISBH as deviant and un-Islamic.
Perlis mufti Datuk Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin was reported as saying the fatwa was issued after the committee received compelling evidence.
He cited the "batiniah" (esoteric) elements in GISB's teachings as a continuation of the deviant Al-Arqam teachings.