GISBH members want allowance for rehab programme

Global Ikhwan Services and Business Holdings (GISBH) members invited to join the National Security Council’s (NSC) voluntary rehabilitation programme want to know whether they will be paid for their attendance.

According to lawyer Rosli Kamaruddin, who represents GISBH, the members had already lost their livelihoods after their businesses were shut down and assets seized, and are thus worried about making ends meet.

“They are now struggling to make ends meet. How will they provide for their families if they join this three-month programme? Will the government provide them with allowances? If yes, how much?” he said as quoted by Free Malaysia Today.

He also pointed out that the details of the programme remain unclear.

Earlier this week, Bernama reported that the NSC announced it had created a voluntary rehabilitation programme for GISBH members aiming to help them return to the true teachings of Islam and reintegrate into society.

According to NSC deputy director-general Baharuddin Ahmad, the programme will focus on correcting religious beliefs, offering syariah teachings, promoting patriotism, and providing counselling on education and health.

Besides monetary concerns, Rosli said many members are hesitant to join the programme without the blessing of their senior leaders, who remain detained under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act (Sosma) 2012.

“When a similar programme was introduced during (the late al-Arqam founder) Ashaari Muhammad’s time, he himself gave orders that the community renounce its wayward teachings and return to the right path, but today there is no leader to give such an order,” he explained today.

READ MORE: KINIGUIDE | From al-Arqam to GISBH

Following the police's Ops Global raid on Sept 11 at 20 welfare homes operated by GISBH in Selangor and Negeri Sembilan, several key figures, including CEO Nasirudin Mohd Ali and his wife, were remanded and later rearrested under Sosma and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants (Amendment) Act 2022.

Since the operation began, over 300 individuals, including GISBH’s top leaders, have been arrested.

Several states have since declared the group deviant for allegedly continuing the al-Arqam’s outlawed Aurad Muhammadiah doctrine.

‘No deviant teachings practised’

However, on Monday, the GISBH subsidiary director and Ashaari’s daughter, Khaulah Ashaari, denied they practised deviant teachings.

The raids on GISBH have also raised concerns about the welfare of children in the homes - some of whom were found to be victims of sexual assault.

Women, Family, and Community Development Minister Nancy Shukri told Parliament on Tuesday that malnourishment was also rampant among the children rescued, as were cases of cognitive impairment.

Separately, Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said harsh punishments were also meted out on children for minor infractions, including having to perform 500 “ketuk ketampi” (ear squats) for not lining up properly at mealtimes.

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