Malaysia child sex abuse scandal: members of Islamic firm had multiple wives, police say

Some of the fathers linked to the Islamic company at the centre of a massive child sex probe had dozens of children by multiple wives – many of them living in care homes where the alleged abuse took place, Malaysia’s police chief said on Monday.

Police have raided dozens of premises, including charity homes, businesses and religious schools believed to be owned or linked to wealthy Islamic company Global Ikhwan Services and Business Holdings (GISBH).

More than 500 people have been arrested so far in a massive multi-agency operation across Malaysia’s peninsula over the past two weeks, as details trickle out of what could be the worst case of systemic child abuse and exploitation the country has ever seen.

More than 570 children have been rescued, most from 20 welfare homes in Selangor and Negeri Sembilan states in the peninsula’s south. Medical screenings found that at least 13 of the children had suffered from sexual abuse, police said.

“Most of these children are children of GISBH members,” said police chief Razarudin Husain.