KUALA LUMPUR: The source of funding for the care centres raided by police, believed to be linked to Global Ikhwan Services and Business Holdings (GISB), is being investigated by Bukit Aman.
Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Razarudin Husain said apart from investigating possible trafficking in persons offences, the police are investigating the donors.
“We believe the care centres had other sponsors. There are also old folks homes which received funds from GISB and other sources,” he told a press conference at the Police Training Centre (Pulapol).
Razarudin had not ruled out the possibility of summoning the company’s top management.
However, he said investigations into the care centres associated with the company are still in the early stage.
“We are conducting the investigation in a transparent and fair manner,” he added.
On Wednesday, police rescued 402 children, comprising 201 boys and 201 girls, aged between one and 17, from 20 care homes in Selangor and Negri Sembilan in a rescue operation codenamed Ops Global.
A total of 171 suspects, aged between 17 and 64, were arrested, including a teacher and dormitory caretakers.
Razarudin said 159 of these suspects had been remanded for between four and seven days.
“The rest were released as they were underage and not relevant to ongoing investigations,” he said, adding that 19 investigation papers (IPs) had been opened so far.
The cases in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and Negri Sembilan are related to the Child Act 2001, the Child Care Centre Act 1984 and the Penal Code.
The IGP urged those who had been victimised by centres or organisations linked to the case to come forward and lodge police reports.
“We also urge former members to assist in the ongoing investigations,” he said.
Recently, a man was detained for issuing threats against a woman who had lodged police reports prior to the start of Ops Global, Razarudin said.
“She was threatened and told to withdraw her police reports,” he added.
The IGP also refuted claims that the rescued children were not allowed to perform prayers.
“They are allowed to do so. They take turns (to pray) under police surveillance for their safety.
“It is nonsense to say that we do not let them pray. In fact, they are placed here (at Pulapol), which has a mosque,” he said.
He was commenting on a viral video of an individual believed to be from GISB, who claimed that the victims were not allowed to pray.
On allegations that the police delayed taking action on reports lodged against GISB, Razarudin said investigations had been conducted since 2011.
“We made the arrests after we received credible leads that enabled such action to be taken,” he said.
He also described claims that police had allowed GISB to operate following a visit by a former top police officer to a care centre as untrue.
“Investigations into GISB are confidential – in fact, other officers (not involved in investigations) are not privy (to any information).
“Visiting a place does not mean we had given the green light. I was also photographed with other individuals, but that does not mean I support them,” Razarudin added.
When asked about the possibility of GISB lodging its own police report, he said everyone has the right to do so.
