SHAH ALAM, Sept 13 — The Selangor government will not hesitate to revoke operating licences and take stern action against tahfiz centres or religious schools involved in exploitative practices, said state executive councillor for Islamic affairs, Fahmi Ngah.

Free Malaysia Today (FMT) reported that the state government remains committed to protecting tahfiz centres and religious schools from being used as platforms for the exploitation of children or spreading teachings that deviate from Islamic principles.

“The state government will not hesitate to apply strict enforcement against institutions found to be involved in unhealthy practices,” he reportedly said.

Fahmi added that the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) has been instructed to conduct thorough monitoring, inspections, and screenings of both registered and unregistered tahfiz centres and religious schools across the state.

Yesterday, Jais director Shahzihan Ahmad revealed that two of the welfare homes raided by police recently were registered with the department.

He noted that one of the institutions, SR Islam Integrasi Miftahul Hikmah, had been registered with Jais since 2015 and follows the department’s curriculum.

“No irregularities were detected during inspections conducted at the school on January 13, March 23, 2023, and July 23, 2024,” said Shahzihan, adding that the other school, Maahad Tahfiz Wal Ulum Al-Ghazaly, follows its own tahfiz curriculum and was registered with Jais in 2014.

Fahmi also said Jais has formed a task force to investigate allegations involving religious schools and tahfiz centres that may be involved in spreading deviant teachings.

This statement follows a current police investigation into Global Ikhwan Services and Business Holdings (GISBH), after police raided 20 welfare homes, rescuing 402 victims of alleged physical and sexual abuse as well as abandonment.

On Wednesday, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain said some of the rescued victims were sodomised and taught to sexually assault others.

“So far, we have identified 13 children who were allegedly sodomised. Four men are currently being investigated under Section 14 of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act,” he said.

A total of 171 suspects were initially arrested during the raids, but only 159 were remanded. The remaining individuals were released as they were either minors or not relevant to the investigation.

Of the 402 victims rescued, 49 children under the age of five have since been placed in shelters in Bukit Beruntung, Cheras, and Seremban.

Meanwhile, GISBH has denied operating any of the welfare homes raided by the authorities and refuted claims that children under their care had been sodomised or forced to sexually assault others.

https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2024/09/13/selangor-to-crack-down-on-tahfiz-centres-exploiting-children-vows-tough-action/150327