More new homes on the horizon: Amirudin speaking at the Rumah Idaman, Putra Idaman and Saujana Idaman groundbreaking event in Cyberjaya. — Bernama
CYBERJAYA: All premises in Selangor linked to Global Ikhwan Services and Business Holdings (GISB) will be closed and its assets seized, says Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari.
He said he would announce on Wednesday the total number of premises, including shelters and religious schools, related to GISB in the state.
“The shelters that are related to GISB are closed immediately, including religious schools.
“That is an immediate action being taken by the Selangor Islamic Religious Department and the police. If we get more information, we will go (raid and close),” he said at the Rumah Idaman, Putra Idaman and Saujana Idaman groundbreaking ceremony here yesterday.
Amirudin said the state government would help children associated with GISB in various aspects, especially in matters related to education.
“I also want to see on Monday the fate of the children who do not go to school or who are detained by the authorities.
“The issue of education and their future is important and the state government will try to help because that is our priority,” he said, Bernama reported.
Previously, the Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah ordered actions related to the GISB issue to be expedited.
Amirudin was previously reported as saying that the state government would ban the operations of GISB premises after obtaining a full report from the police and the state Islamic religious committee.
On Sept 11, the police raided 20 charity homes in Selangor and Negri Sembilan linked to GISB for alleged child and religious exploitation activities.
So far, more than 300 individuals including GISB’s top management have been arrested and 572 victims have been rescued.
Meanwhile, the Selangor Zakat Board (LZS) confirmed that it had never received any kind of zakat (tithe) payments from GISB or its subsidiaries.
Its collection division head Mohd Fikri Naim Harun said this was despite the board having held talks on tithe collection at GISB premises.
“There are more than 20 GISB-related companies on our list, but none have made zakat payments to LZS.
“We also cannot determine the tithe amount required to be paid by GISB and their subsidiaries because we have never received any information regarding their assets and liabilities,” he said at the launch of the Selangor Tithe Carnival 2024 at Dataran Stadium Shah Alam.
Mohd Fikri said the amount of business zakat payment was usually assessed after LZS received information about the assets owned and the liabilities incurred by the company in question.
When asked whether legal action could be taken against GISB for not paying tithes, he said there were provisions in the Administration of the Religion of Islam (State of Selangor) Enactment 2003 which provides imprisonment and a fine for those who deliberately do not pay tithe.
In Shah Alam, seven people arrested in Selangor in connection with the GISB have been remanded for seven days from yesterday by the Magistrate’s Court.
Lawyer Rosli Kamaruddin, who represented the seven, aged 18 to 55, said they were being investigated under, among others, Section 31(a) of the Child Act 2001 and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007.
He said they were arrested in Rawang on Friday.
They comprised six women, including four believed to be wives of GISB senior leaders, and a man.
At another Magistrate’s Court, the remand period for 10 other individuals were also extended from four to seven days for 10 other individuals to assist in the same investigation.
Lawyer Shalehuddin Salam, representing those individuals, said they consisted of eight men and two women, aged 22 to 53, who had previously been remanded for a week, and their remand period ended yesterday.
He said they were being investigated under Section 31(a) of the Child Act 2001, the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984, and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007.
