KUALA LUMPUR: Apart from investigating allegations of sexual abuse, police will also ascertain whether the 402 children rescued from 20 care homes had been sent to school.
If not, it could lead to additional charges.
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Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain (pic) said special care needs to be taken when interviewing the children, who are believed to have been exploited.
“We will definitely probe allegations of sexual assault and sodomy. On top of that, we will also check whether the children were sent to school.
“If they were not, then it is an offence. If the schools or care centres (they were going to) are not licensed, then that is an offence as well,” he said yesterday.
Razarudin also highlighted that the police are collaborating with the Welfare Department to offer counselling and emotional support to the children.
“Again, it (the investigation) is still in the early stages, thus we have to take it a step at a time. As it involves children, we have to take special care as well,” he said.
He estimated that the investigation could take at least 14 days to complete.
“We are working with the relevant ministries and agencies to complete the investigation and address any further action required for the victims rescued in the operation codenamed Ops Global,” he added.
The investigation may include collecting DNA samples, said Razarudin, as authorities suspect that some of the children’s fathers are members of Global Ikhwan Services and Business Holdings (GISB).
“The care homes were opened for orphans, thus we are checking whether all of them are registered.
“We are also checking for other possible offences and expect other witnesses to come forward,” he said.
In the meantime, the rescued children will be housed at the Police Training Centre (Pulapol) where interviews and documentation can be done.
The police have received 41 reports about GISB from 2011 to Sept 7 this year, said Razarudin, adding that the 171 suspects detained during the raids are currently under a seven-day remand.
It was reported that the children were subjected to horrific abuse, including being sodomised and forced to do the same to others at the care homes in Selangor and Negri Sembilan.
“They were forced to molest other residents. This is what we gathered from intelligence and statements. Those who were sick were denied medical attention until their conditions became critical.
“There were others, as young as five years old, who were burnt with hot spoons for mistakes. The caregivers also touched the children’s bodies under the guise of medical checks,” said Razarudin.
Preliminary findings suggest that many of the children, who were not actually orphans, were placed in these homes as infants with their parents’ knowledge and subjected to indoctrination disguised as religious education.
Razarudin condemned this practice as harmful.
“The child victims and religious sentiments were used to gather sympathy and funds from the outside,” he said.
He did not rule out the possibility of deaths linked to the syndicate’s activities and added that a detailed investigation would be conducted into the matter.
Police rescued 201 boys and 201 girls, aged between one and 17, during the operation.
Razarudin said the suspects, aged between 17 and 64, included a teacher and dormitory caretakers.
