Malaysian police arrest CEO of company accused of child sex abuse scandal

Malaysian Police on Thursday arrested the CEO of a company allegedly linked to a sect that is under investigation on accusations of physically and sexually abusing hundreds of children.

Police said more than 400 boys and girls aged between 1 and 17 were rescued during air raids last week regarding social welfare homes allegedly run by Global Ikhwan Services and Business Holdings (GISBH) in Selangor and Negeri Sembilan.

When contacted, police chief Razarudin Husain confirmed to This Week in Asia that GISBH chief executive Nasiruddin Ali was among 19 suspected members of the group who were arrested in dawn raids on four houses in Kuala Lumpur.

According to a press release sent out by police, 19 people were brought to a court in Shah Alam, on the outskirts of the city, in the afternoon to file a request for pretrial detention.

Razarudin was earlier quoted by local radio station Astro Awani as saying the suspects were aged between 25 and 65 and included seven women.

A man linked to Global Ikhwan Service and Business Holdings (GISB) covers his face as he is escorted by police officers after being charged at a court in Putrajaya on September 18. Photo: Reuters