The head of Malaysian conglomerate GISB Holdings, Nasiruddin Ali, denied allegations of sexual abuse and exploitation at homes run by the company. Police rescued 402 children from the charity homes, reporting injuries consistent with physical and sexual abuse, including 13 cases of sodomy. Nasiruddin admitted to “one or two” cases of sodomy but denied the majority of the allegations, claiming they had broken unspecified laws.
In a video posted on GISB’s Facebook page, Nasiruddin acknowledged the company had committed some wrongs in the eyes of the law but questioned the lack of advice or discussion from authorities. He addressed the allegations of sodomy and teaching children to commit the act as “disgusting,” expressing surprise at the lumping together of all cases. GISB has been linked to the banned religious sect Al-Arqam but now describes itself as an Islamic conglomerate based on Muslim principles.
The Malaysia Islamic Development Department announced plans to bring a report on suspected deviant teachings involving GISB to the national religious affairs council and the conference of rulers, which includes nine royal custodians of Islam in the country. Nasiruddin revealed that some of GISB’s accounts were frozen and assets seized by authorities, prompting the hiring of lawyers to defend the company in court. Police detained 159 individuals after Wednesday’s raids and hinted at the possibility of expanding their investigation into GISB to include financial offenses.
Nasiruddin Ali’s video comes in response to accusations by police involving sexual abuse at GISB-run homes. He admitted to some incidents of sodomy but questioned the way all cases were being grouped together. GISB has faced scrutiny due to its connections to the banned Al-Arqam religious sect, leading to suspicions of deviant teachings. The Malaysia Islamic Development Department intends to report these findings to the national religious affairs council and the rulers’ conference for further action.
Despite the denials of sexual abuse and exploitation, the Malaysian authorities have continued their investigations into GISB Holdings. Nasiruddin Ali acknowledged breaking some laws but expressed frustration at the lack of advice or discussions prior to the allegations. The freeze on accounts and seizure of assets by authorities have forced GISB to hire legal representation to defend against potential charges. With concerns over deviant teachings and financial offenses, the case involving GISB is likely to persist as investigations expand.
