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Malaysia’s religious affairs authority on Thursday accused a conglomerate under investigation for child abuse and money laundering of using “elements of slavery” in the way it does business.

Nooh Gadot, an official at the National Council for Islamic Religious Affairs, said this was one of the reasons why the teachings and beliefs propagated by the GISB were declared deviant, while urging Muslims to avoid the group.

In September, police raided care homes run by Global Ikhwan Services and Business (GISB), rescuing more than 600 children, some of whom were found to be abused.

They also arrested 415 people, including the chief executive of GISB, his wife and senior figures of the company.

“GISB practices economic models that have an element of slavery where the needs of followers will be fully borne by the company and in return they are asked to serve voluntarily without any salary,” Nooh said in a statement on Thursday.

Nooh said the group also propagated the belief that water used to wash the hair, beard or body parts of their leaders could bring blessings.

“Any person who adheres to, believes in, teaches, spreads, practices or becomes a follower of those teachings and beliefs must repent,” Nooh said.

“This committee also suggests that government agencies at the federal and state levels assist in the rehabilitation process (followers of GISB) and allocate an adequate amount of funds for this purpose.”

GISB could not immediately be reached for comment on the slavery allegation, and a lawyer for the group did not respond to an AFP request for comment.

GISB has long been controversial for its links to the Al-Arqam sect, which has been banned in Malaysia since 1994 for its deviant teachings and cult-like activities.

In 2011, GISB established an “Obeyant Wives Club” that asked women to be “whores in bed” to prevent their husbands from being unfaithful.

Following a series of raids in September on care homes run by the GISB in Selangor and the neighboring state of Negeri Sembilan, Malaysian police chief Razarudin Husain said at least 13 children had been sexually abused following medical examinations.

Interior Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail also told parliament in October that children were being severely punished for minor crimes.

The case shocked the country and raised concerns about the welfare of children in care and the regulation of Malaysian charities.

The company’s chief executive, Nasiruddin Ali, was charged on October 23, along with his wife Azura Yusof and 20 senior executives, with being members of an organized crime group.

Several other people were charged with criminal intimidation and child abuse.

Police also investigated GISB for money laundering, deviant teachings and extremist indoctrination following reports that rescued children were exposed to videos with militant themes.

GISB ran a network of supermarkets, restaurants and travel agencies catering to Muslim customers in Malaysia and more than a dozen other countries, but the raids crippled their businesses.

llk/hmn/sco