Singapore woman forced to work and marry abuser

SINGAPORE CITY, Singapore

A Singaporean woman claimed that Global Ikhwan Services and Business (GISB) Holdings had pretty much dictated her life from childhood.

CNA spoke to Zoey (not her real name) whose parents were both in GISB and how her entire life had revolved around the group.

She moved to Indonesia to a GISB-run hostel before moving to another one in Malaysia in 2003.

Zoey said that GISB leaders would indoctrinate children like her with stories of how Al-Arqam founder Ashaari Muhammad had “caused” the Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami to cleanse the area of “sins”.

Of the experience, she said that she and the others were “brainwashed.”

While she was at the GISB-run hostels, she and the other children did not attend school and received no formal education.

Instead their days were filled with reading about Abuya and working without pay for GISB-linked shops.

“We were only allowed to read reading materials (about Abuya) that (GISB) issued us, and nothing else. Not even newspapers,” she told CNA.

Zoey’s parents later decided to send her to a Singapore private school and she was ostracised for it, leading to her disillusionment with GISB and saying she “wanted out.”

Instead, she was forced into a marriage to a man 10 years older than her, the son of a influential GISB member, without the presence or permission of her parents.

GISB said they would kick her mother out of the community if she did not agree.

Her husband proved abusive, hitting her even when she was pregnant and demanding sex.

Zoey said, “While I was pregnant all the way until I gave birth, whenever he wants to have sex, at any time, I have to say yes.”

She had tried more than once to leave him but was dissuaded by the cult, including her own mother and eventually she ended up having nine children.

Her husband then begun to be abusive to his children and threatened to kill them and her, but all GISB did was tell her to be patient.

It was only after her four elder daughters told her they had enough, did she find the resolve to make a police report.

Her mother also reached out to retired businesswoman Mona Din for assistance leading to Zoey and her children finding safety in a safe house for abused women and children.

Zoey filed for divorce in 2021 and returned to Singapore with her nine children, with assistance from her home country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

She and her children now live in Singapore, where she operates a home-based business.