Three members of the GISB cult face human trafficking and sexual assault charges in Johor

KOTA TINGGI, Johor – Three members of Global Ikhwan Services and Business Holdings (GISB) were charged with alleged sex and human trafficking offenses in the Kota Tinggi Sessions Court on October 13.

Mahmad Hamal Tukiman, 57, and Rabiahtul Adawiyah Md Shah, 31 – the managers of a GISB-owned resort in Kota Tinggi – were charged with four counts of human trafficking involving four people aged between 30 and 57.

Muhammad Ansarullah Tukino, 20, a worker at the resort, was charged with two counts of sexual abuse of a 16-year-old boy.

All the accused pleaded not guilty after the charges were read out to them on October 13 before Sessions Court Judge Hayda Faridzal Abu Hasan.

According to the charge sheets, Mahmad Hamal and Rabiahtul Adawiyah, as well as three other suspects who are still at large – Afizah Arifin, Mohamad Suhaimi Mohd Sani and Norafiratul Abidah Ismail – trafficked three women and one man for the purpose of exploiting them through forced labor through threats.

The crime was committed between August 2023 and October 1, 2024 at Ikhwan Resort, Kampung Air Bintan, Ladang Sungai Papan, Bandar Penawar.

The act constitutes an offense under Section 12 of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants (Atipsom) Act 2007 read with Section 34 of the Penal Code.

Muhammad Ansarullah was accused of sexually abusing a 16-year-old boy by touching the victim’s thigh and private parts.

The crime was allegedly committed at 10pm on June 1 and 3 at the surau of Ikhwan Resort, Kampung Air Bintan, Ladang Sungai Papan, Bandar Penawar.

The offense constitutes an offense under section 14(a) of the Sexual Offenses Against Children Act 2017.

The case was prosecuted by Deputy Public Prosecutor Ahmad Khairuddin Khalid, while Mahmad Hamal and Rabiahtul Adawiyah are represented by Fathul Anwar Muin and Muhammad Ansarullah by Muhammad Zaim Rusli.

Ahmad Khairuddin had proposed setting bail for Mahmad Hamal and Rabiahtul Adawiyah at RM50,000 (S$15,216) per charge and for Muhammad Ansarullah at RM40,000 per charge.

They are also required to hand over their passport to the court, report to the nearest police station once a month and not contact any of the victims in the case

The court then approved bail of RM10,000 for Mahmad Hamal and Rabiahtul Adawiyah for each charge and RM10,000 for Muhammad Ansarullah for the two charges, along with the additional prison sentences.

GISB has come under scrutiny in Malaysia following shocking allegations of child abuse and sodomy after police raided 20 child welfare homes in Selangor and Negeri Sembilan states allegedly linked to GISB in September and rescued nearly 400 boys and girls.

A total of 155 GISB-linked suspects, including 77 women, were arrested in Ops Global raids across peninsular Malaysia on September 21, said Malaysian police chief Razarudin Husain.

He said 82 premises were searched, including homes and business premises linked to the group.

GISB on its website acknowledges the late Ashaari Muhammad as its founder. He is the preacher who founded the Al-Arqam cult, which was banned in 1994 for spreading “deviant Islamic teachings.” THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK