Shocking reports of child abuse in Malaysia underscore need for reforms — BenarNews

Malaysia has been hit by one of the biggest child sexual abuse scandals in the country’s history.

More than 500 children have been rescued from numerous charity homes run by Malaysian conglomerate Global Ikhwan Services and Business Holdings (GISBH), a company that Malaysian authorities also accuse of human trafficking and practicing deviant Islam.

Medical examinations reveal that many of the children in these homes suffered horrific sexual abuse, were repeatedly sodomized and allegedly encouraged to sodomize others. Hundreds of other children suffered neglect, and one father of 34 children from multiple wives did not know where 32 of his children were.

The GISBH case brought much-needed attention to the problem of child abuse.

Malaysian child rights activists have long called for a closer look at the problem. Local studies suggest that at least 25% of children in Malaysia experience physical violence, while 10% have experienced sexual violence.

There is a long-standing culture of denial about social problems such as child abuse, particularly in the Muslim Malay community where abuse is most prevalent. The resistance to discussing the root causes of problems is profound.

Many governments are guilty of failing to effectively address the issue of child sexual abuse. While Malaysia has strong laws against child abuse, there are gaps in implementation and practice that allow the problem to persist.

Inadequate oversight of unlicensed nursing homes, repeated cover-ups, and pressure on victims not to report abuse have created a climate in which abuse can occur with impunity. Protections and remedies for victims are minimal, and many victims and their families are coerced into silence.

Too often, authorities fall victim to whistleblowers again because they care more about how the system looks than whether it works.

The GISBH scandal also exposed sexual abuse that occurs under the guise of religion in Malaysia. As is the case worldwide, religious institutions are often reluctant to address the issue of child abuse in their communities.

The police are looking into the case. After 41 police reports about GISBH since 2019 and reaching the threshold of credible evidence to initiate criminal proceedings, the authorities are finally taking action.

Nasiruddin Mohd Ali, the company’s CEO, was arrested. He initially denied that there had been abuse in the homes, but later publicly admitted that there had been “one or two” cases of sodomy and called for a “talk” to the authorities.

Since the investigation was made public two weeks ago, there have been more than 170 arrests, the freezing of 96 accounts worth $124 million and the charging of six people. The investigation is ongoing.

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The GISBH cases are not the first to be linked Islamic institution with sexual abuse in Malaysia.

Since 2017, there have been at least nine cases of tahfiz schools and Islamic religious teachers implicated in sexual abuse. Tahfiz schools teach Quranic memorization and are mostly residential institutions.

Although GISBH is linked to the so-called perverted Islamic sect Al-Arqam, banned since 1994, this scandal is not isolated.

Abuse escalates as perpetrators use religion as a cover to commit their crimes. In Malaysia, few religious leaders are prepared to crack down at colleagues.

The fact that the GISBH Director General felt he could simply “talk” to the authorities is evidence of a sense of impunity.

Ironically, many of these same religious leaders are those who advocate for greater intolerance and social control over citizens’ behavior. The scandal highlights the need for Malaysia’s Muslim religious leaders to introduce clearer regulations for their religious organizations that are in line with global child protection standards.

Serious questions are being asked about the Malaysian Islamic bureaucracy. Who was responsible for oversight?

The main governing body for Islamic affairs, the Malaysian Department of Islamic Development (JAKIM), has refused to accept responsibility, saying the issues and their enforcement are beyond its remit.

But the scandal exposes serious governance flaws: concerns about polygamy leading to child abandonment and neglect; lack of proper oversight of tahfiz schools; inadequate regulations; weak background checks on religious teachers/guardians; and disturbing reports of government complicity. Children should not suffer because of administrative neglect.

As Malaysia’s religious authorities have received more funding and authority from Malaysian taxpayers, the GISBH scandal clearly shows that more needs to be done to reform governance. However, there is strong resistance to looking inward.

Businesses purporting to follow Islamic principles have mushroomed in Malaysia. Using an “Islamic” brand has become big business. Such Islamic services have grown exponentially, catering to a market that increasingly identifies with its faith.

GISBH took advantage of this trend.

Operating for over two decades ago, GISBH became a multi-million dollar international conglomerate running charity homes, restaurants, bakeries, pharmacies, bookstores and grocery stores, with extensive holdings in Malaysia and the World. Headquartered in Malaysia, the company has 415 branches operating in 20 countries.

Although GISBH has links with the illegal Al-Arqam, it has apparently managed to expand the scope of its interests by taking advantage of privileges.

Many people blame the crimes committed in these cases on “deviants” associated with a banned religious sect, thus marginalizing the abuses rather than recognizing that the crime and related problems are more widespread.

For example, the Islamist party PAS (Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party) has called on the authorities to protect GISBH’s business network and not to be “overzealous”.

The party’s call for caution is consistent with its consistent practice of downplaying abuses and related crimes.

Surprisingly few political leaders from all sides of the political spectrum have spoken out on behalf of the victims. Many allegedly had close ties to GISBH, as mentioned in meetings and the company’s regular newsletters.

However, the Malaysian royal family has called for a quick action on the abuses, as did a handful of MPs, including Syerleena Abdul Rashid of Penang, who condemned the abuses in a video that went viral.

Many representatives of civil society are also making their voices heard.

Malaysian Bar and G25, a respected local organization of retired government officials has called for a Royal Commission of Inquiry to learn from the scandal and better protect children. Activists have also raised concerns about childcare.

Lessons from the Catholic Church

It looks increasingly likely that the GISBH scandal will be used as a turning point.

The first step is to realise that those involved in crimes committed in religious institutions are a minority hiding behind their faith, and to recognise that the problems cannot be solved by arrests and prosecutions alone.

In this case, the lessons learned from sexual abuse committed by the Catholic Church are important.

Abuse of children in institutions is damaging their reputation. Public trust in the Catholic Church has never been the same. The failure of the Church to take responsibility and make timely and meaningful reforms for decades of abuse has increased the number of victims.

Protecting our own, rather than those who need protection, will have devastating consequences. In places where The Church took responsibility and carried out reforms, regained trust and, most importantly, helped the victims.

The issue of child abuse in Malaysia needs to be addressed openly and honestly, with greater accountability.

The GISBH scandal is an opportunity to reform Islamic institutional governance in Malaysia and strengthen protection for victims of abuse.

It is obvious that there is an urgent need for a passionate, courageous and constructive discussion of the problems revealed by the scandal and finding comprehensive solutions.

Independent researcher Bridget Welsh is an Honorary Research Associate at the Asia Research Institute of the University of Nottingham Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur and a Senior Research Associate at The Habibie Center. The views expressed here are her own and do not reflect the views of the University of Nottingham Malaysia, The Habibie Center or BenarNews.