Malaysian company with links to Islamic sect denies allegations of child sexual abuse

Global Ikhwan Group, the company at the centre of a child abuse case that has shocked Malaysia, on Thursday denied allegations of abusing hundreds of minors, said it did not operate the homes where the alleged abuses took place and accused Malaysian police of defamatory actions against its company.

Malaysian police said on Wednesday they had rescued 402 boys and girls aged between one and 17 from homes in Selangor and Negeri Sembilan that they believed belonged to the group and that the victims had been sexually and physically abused by their caregivers.

In a statement on Thursday, Global Ikhwan Services and Business Holdings (GISBH) said it believed that certain parties were behind the allegation and wanted to “damage the image” of its company.

“We deny all allegations as the shelters in question are clearly not under the management of GISBH,” the group said. “It is not our policy to plan and implement things that violate Islamic Sharia and national laws.”

The controversial company, which authorities classify as a cult, is said to have close ties to Al Arqam, a group banned by the Malaysian government in 1994 for practicing and spreading Islamic beliefs that deviate from state-approved orthodoxy.