The event that made the Malaysian public explode
6 AM. Review of the evidence and reports by religious investigators forced the Royal Police of Malaysia into action. 20 welfare homes in Selangor and Negeri Sembilan were targeted for a raid.
Half an hour later, the neighbourhood is abuzz with their local welfare home being raided by the police. People wondered what was going on.
402 children were rescued.
Early assessment
Boys and girls aged 2 to 17 are now under police protection. The children are undergoing mental and physical health assessments by The Malaysian Department of Welfare.
When the raid took place, there was confirmation that 4 children were victims of sodomy. However, after initial assessment, 9 other children are suspected to be victims as well. The Inspector-General of Police suspects the number could rise.
These welfare homes are linked to a holding company called GISB Holdings.
Who is GISB Holdings?
GISB Holdings(GISB) parades itself as an Islamic conglomerate.
“GISB Holdings is an Islamic Bumiputera company. This company was founded by Ustaz Ashaari Muhammad to develop the Islamic way of life in all aspects of life such as education, arts and culture, animal farming etc.” – taken from GISB Holding’s website.
The holding company boast an estimated RM325 million in assets. GISB operates 415 businesses globally, including a desert oasis in Saudi Arabia, international restaurants in London, Paris, Istanbul, Dubai, Makkah, a 120-acre estate in Perth, and more. It’s reported it employs approximately 5,300 people across its 25 subsidiaries.
In Malaysia, GISB is known for its restaurants, cafes, and bakery under the brand Ikhwan.
However, despite its corporate image, GISB is home to members of the defunct cult called Al-Arqam. Its teachings and systems are still well and alive today, far from public view.
Origins of Al-Arqam
Founded By Ashaari Mohammad, this cult labels itself as an Islamic movement. Al-Arqam had approximately 10,000 followers at its peak. The cult focused on economic strength. Building multiple businesses advertising itself as “Muslim-owned”.
Ashaari Mohammad was an active member of PAS. A Malaysian Islamic political party. In 1964, Ashaari lost in the general elections in Kuala Lumpur. After his defeat, he was appointed as the Treasurer for PAS’s youth wing in 1968.
Not long after, he began giving sermons to members of PAS.
His sermons would take place in a white house in KL. His reputation grew and the sermons were known as the “White House Sermons” among PAS members. After 2 years, he and his supporters were accused of deviancy and blasphemy.
This led to Ashaari creating Al-Arqam.
In 1994, the group was banned for practising deviant teachings. It was later found that he funded a personal military based in Thailand with plans to dominate Malaysian politics.
Al-Arqam deviant beliefs
Ashaari’s deviancy started through a personal obsession with a man called Syeikh Suhaimi and his stories that seem supernatural. Ashaari never met the man, as he had died in 1925. Ashaari was born in 1937.
In reality, Syeikh Suhaimi was a normal religious teacher who lived an adventurous life.
This didn’t stop him from declaring that Syeikh Suhaimi is the Imam Mahdi, an Islamic messiah of the end times. Ashaari made other claims about Syeikh Suhaimi, in which he conveniently links himself to further his reputation.
Ashaari would also insert himself and Syeikh Suhaimi, into common Islamic phrases for worship. Over time, Ashaari would be seen as the messiah(instead of Syeikh Suhaimi) having supernatural powers with a special connection to God.
Al-Arqam would eventually create prayers worshipping Ashaari. The members of Al-Arqam would have huge portraits of Ashaari in their homes, in the Quran, and in places of worship.
Ashaari died in May 2010. But it didn’t stop its members from believing he would return in the future to complete his role in the end times.
Today, its members and Al-Arqam’s teachings are growing under GISB Holdings.
They operate exactly like cults around the globe
GISB Holdings grows its numbers from within. They would arrange marriages between the members. They enforce polygamy and encourage married couples to have babies.
Babies reaching the age of 2, will be separated from their families. 2 year olds would be cared for in charity homes operating across Malaysia. They will be subjected to the teachings of Al-Arqam. When children are able to, they will be put to work in GISB’s many businesses.
In some cases, the children would be taught to identify as orphans. Then they are sent to locations throughout Malaysia to beg for money.
Instead of a decent salary, the children receive lodging, food, and clothing.
The children are encouraged to only study Ashaari’s teachings. They don’t receive formal education and are cut off from their families and the world. When the children reach the age of 17 – 18, marriage will be arranged for them. And the cycle repeats.
With free labour running GISB Holdings, members at the top enjoy unprecedented wealth.
The holy water for Ikhwan restaurants, cafes, and bakeries
Ikhwan is a brand used by GISB Holdings for most of their businesses, especially F&B.
To “soften the hearts” of outsiders to the cult, members are ordered to spray “holy water” on the food and drinks before serving it to customers. The water is also sprayed whilst cooking the food.
Ex-members of GISB, shared that the “holy water” is used water from top members of GISB. The top members including the CEO, would dip their beards into the water, and distribute them to restaurants under GISB.
Alleged crimes of GISB and its members
- Sexual abuse of children
- Teaching children to engage in sex acts
- Forced child labour
- Intimidation and physical abuse
- Forcing wives to divorce their husbands to marry other members
- Banning formal education for children and adults
- Faking Halal certificate stamps on their products
- Brainwashing its members with deviant teachings unrelated to Islam
- Endangering public health by contaminating food with used water
The odd silence of Malaysia’s religious body
The case of GISB is not new. Religious investigators had gathered multiple pieces of evidence and presented their findings to JAKIM, the Islamic body of Malaysia, 10 years ago. However, JAKIM ignored their findings.
And since 14 years ago, the police have received reports about GISB’s sexual and physical abuse from members trying to flee the cult. All of it, ignored.
Members of the public forcing authorities to act
On 21 February 2024, Caprice (Ariz Ramli) a celebrity influencer did a few episodes on his podcast interviewing the ex-members of GISB.
The ex-members revealed horrifying details of control, sexual and physical abuse, intimidation, and brainwashing by the top brass of GISB. Pointing out similarities to famous cults in the U.S. The episodes on YouTube attracted the attention of the Malaysian public. Including the religious investigators who worked on the case.
Sensing that the issue was about to explode, the religious investigators tried one more time to bring their findings to the authorities. However, this time, they went to Perlis.
There, they sought the help of Dr MAZA, the Mufti of Perlis. He is known to be vocal and courageous in the issues within Malaysia’s Islamic community. With his influence also came enemies in Malaysia’s political, religious, and media circles.
The religious investigators presented their findings to a religious panel in Perlis, including Dr MAZA. After, Dr MAZA released a video speaking about GISB and warning Muslims against them.
Fahmil Fadzi, the Minister of Communications was pressured by members of the public which led to the Malaysian Royal Police taking action. In a few days, multiple charity homes were raided rescuing 402 children. Early interviews of the children made national headlines.
According to the rescued children, they were taught to sodomise each other and were also sodomised by their caretakers.
The Malaysian public exploded.
The situation today
GISB Holdings is now under heavy fire. The police are actively investigating their premises, and some business locations are under surveillance.
It’s reported some restaurants belonging to GISB, have closed down. While others are operating as usual. The CEO of GISB Holdings admitted that “some cases of sodomy happened” and stressed they were isolated incidents and not part of their teachings.
Many ex-members of the “jemaah” have come forward on social media, sharing their experiences within the cult and how they escaped. NGO’s have put out a call-to-action for any members wanting to escape, that they will be cared for until they can live independently.
If it were not for the brave religious investigators, the Mufti of Perlis, Caprice, and the Malaysian public, the abuse of children within GISB Holdings could forever go unnoticed.
