KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 5 — PAS today sought to distance the party of involvement with Global Ikhwan Services and Business Holdings (GISBH), the scandal-riddled conglomerate under investigation for exploiting children and religion.

PAS information chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari clarified that none of the Islamist party’s current members have anything to do with GISBH, which has been declared a deviant sect in several states due to religious teaching materials from banned sect Al Arqam that were confiscated during a joint raid across peninsular Malaysia last month.

"No PAS members are involved in GISBH. Only some who have quit the party have been found involved,” he told a news conference in Bangi, Selangor this afternoon, as reported by news portal Malaysiakini.

PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang had denied any links between the party and GISBH on September 14.

But doubt about PAS’ involvement remained after PAS secretary-general Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan expressed concern on September 22 that GISBH’s business operations could be unfairly targeted amid investigations into alleged child abuse, sexual abuse, and deviant Islamic teachings.

He said PAS supports a transparent investigation into these allegations and calls for strict action against those found guilty.

Malaysiakini also reported that Al-Arqam founder the late Ashaari Muhammad had been a PAS candidate for the Bangsar seat in Election 1964.

GISBH is a local conglomerate established in 2010 from the remnants of the now-defunct Al Arqam Islamic group that later rebranded itself as a business entity called Rufaqa Corp with diverse businesses ranging from trading, manufacturing, food and beverage, poultry, livestock and fisheries, education and biotechnology.

Last month, police raided 20 welfare homes in Selangor and Negeri Sembilan that were reportedly connected to GISBH members following complaints of deviant religious practices and child exploitation.

Since then, scores of its business outlets across the country have been raided and hundreds of its members and leaders have been arrested, some charged and one sentenced while others remain in police custody pending further investigation.

Over 500 unregistered children have also been rescued from the welfare homes, with some said to have been physically and sexually abused.