Sex scandal in Malaysia: Members of an Islamic company had several wives and children, police say

Some of the fathers linked to the Islamic company at the centre of a major child abuse investigation have dozens of children with multiple women, many of whom live in foster homes where the alleged abuse took place, Malaysia's police chief said on Monday.

Police raided dozens of premises, including charity houses, businesses and religious schools, believed to be owned or linked to the wealthy Islamic company Global Ikhwan Services and Business Holdings (GISBH).

More than 500 people have been arrested in the past two weeks in a major multi-agency operation on Peninsular Malaysia, as more details emerge about what may be the worst case of systematic child abuse and exploitation the country has ever seen.

More than 570 children were rescued, most from 20 social homes in the southern states of Selangor and Negeri Sembilan. Medical examinations revealed that at least 13 of the children had been sexually abused, police said.

“Most of these children are children of GISBH members,” said police chief Razarudin Husain.