PUTRAJAYA: The Cabinet was informed that 662 children rescued from care homes linked to Global Ikhwan Services and Business Holdings (GISB) have been issued court orders placing them under the protection of the authorities.
Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said the update was provided by Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri during today's Cabinet meeting.
Fahmi added that the Cabinet did not discuss other matters related to GISB.
"We did not discuss several other matters, such as the state-level fatwa issued, regarding whether the teachings of this group are deviant or not.
"However, we can refer to the fatwa statements from the several mufti, who have issued fatwa stating that these teachings have been confirmed as deviant.
"For further information, you can refer to the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs Datuk Dr Mohd Na'im Mokhtar)," he said during the weekly post-cabinet press conference today.
On Thursday (Oct 3), Selangor became the latest state to declare GISB as an entity that promotes deviant teachings contrary to Islamic teachings, after Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah consented to the decision made by the Selangor Fatwa Committee on Sept 30.
This came after Perlis, on Sept 20, became the first state to declare as such after the Perlis Fatwa Committee received compelling evidence that the "batiniah" (esoteric) elements in GISB's teachings are a continuation of the cult-like teachings of al-Arqam.
GISB came under the spotlight last month after police conducted a series of raids on 20 welfare homes in Selangor and Negri Sembilan linked to the organisation.
A total of 402 people were rescued, mostly children and teenagers.
Police said initial investigations suggested elements of child labour, abuse and neglect.
Police have since trained their investigations on the money trail within GISB, including its overseas operations.
Police have also extended the remand order on the GISB chief executive officer, among several other high-value targets arrested under Op Global, until Oct 10.