CEO of Islamic firm arrested in Malaysia child sex abuse case

Malaysian authorities arrest Islamic conglomerate CEO and managers accused of child abuse, sparking widespread investigation.

Malaysian authorities on Thursday (September 19, 2024) arrested the chief executive and other senior managers of an Islamic conglomerate accused of running charity homes where children were allegedly sexually abused, amid a widening police dragnet in the case.

Nasiruddin Mohd Ali, the head of Global Ikhwan Services and Business (GISB) Holdings which police say is linked to a banned religious sect, was detained along with 18 people in an early morning raid on four residential premises in Kuala Lumpur, the Inspector-General of Police Razarudin Husain told Reuters.

Five other people linked to the company were also detained at the border with Thailand, Razarudin said.

In a statement posted on Facebook late on Thursday, GISB said its CEO and other top leaders were being detained by authorities and called for patience for the results of the investigation to be released. Nasiruddin and his lawyer were not immediately available.

Local media had earlier reported the arrests.

GISB's Nasiruddin on Saturday had denied allegations of widespread abuse at the youth care homes and other misconduct, though he acknowledged that "one or two" cases of sodomy occurred.

Police last week rescued more than 400 children and youths from the homes they said were run by GISB, though the firm has denied managing the shelters. Many of those rescued showed signs of neglect, as well as physical and sexual abuse, officials say.