MAINPP To Establish Faith Rehabilitation Centre For Children Rescued From GISBH

TASEK GELUGOR, Oct 9 (Bernama) -- The Penang Islamic Religious Council (MAINPP) is ready to use the Darul Hidayah Complex in Penaga here as a faith rehabilitation centre for children and teenagers rescued from the charitable homes of GISB Holdings Sdn Bhd (GISBH).

MAINPP president Datuk Dr Mohamad Abdul Hamid, however, said that they would wait for the Penang State Fatwa Committee’s decision regarding the practices and beliefs of GISBH before proceeding with rehabilitation programmes for the affected children.

“In terms of faith rehabilitation, we will await the decision from the Penang State Fatwa Committee, which will hold a meeting.

“However, at the Penang State Islamic Religious Department (JAINPP) level, we have already prepared the Darul Hidayah Complex as a faith rehabilitation centre, but everything depends on the fatwa decision first,” he told reporters after officiating the ceremony to present appointment letters for Village Community Management Councils for the Seberang Perai Utara (SPU), Seberang Perai Tengah (SPT), and Seberang Perai Selatan (SPS) districts for the 2024-2028 term in Kubang Menerong, Tasek Gelugor, today.

Mohamad said that once the fatwa council’s decision was presented at MAINPP, and if the practices and teachings of GISBH were declared deviant, the rehabilitation programme would proceed.

Asked when the fatwa decision would be known, Mohamad, who is also Penang’s Deputy Chief Minister I, said was is likely to be made within this month.

Mohamad said that 200 children and teenagers, believed to be the children of GISBH members from Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Perak, and Penang, aged between three and 19 years old, have been rescued and were currently housed at the Sinar Kasih Complex in Nibong Tebal here since Oct 1.

He said a special team had been formed to oversee and care for the children, who were now undergoing an educational programme managed by the Penang State Education Department (JPN) alongside psychological guidance to boost their morale and religious counselling classes.

Yesterday, the Selangor Government announced the establishment of a special team to review a rehabilitation programme specifically for children rescued from GISBH based on the decision of the Selangor State Executive Council on Oct 2.

In early September, police launched Op Global and raided charitable homes across Peninsular Malaysia linked to GISBH, which was suspected of being involved in child and religious exploitation.

As a result of the raids, 572 individuals, including children and teenagers, were rescued, and 359 GISBH followers, including the company’s top management, were arrested.

-- BERNAMA