Singaporean ex-GISBH member reveals bitter experience, including forced polygamy

SHAH ALAM – "There were a lot of things I didn’t agree with, like the concept of 'Holy Islamic Sex,' which emphasised that wives must entertain their husbands like 'first-class prostitutes.' It didn’t align with my understanding of Islam.”

This was shared by Yuwana Muhammad Ehwan, a former member of Global Ikhwan Sdn Bhd (GISBH), as she opened up about her years in the movement during an interview with Singapore media outlet, Berita MediaCorp.

Yuwana recounted the emotional turmoil and difficult decisions she faced while part of the deviant sect, including being forced into isolation in Malaysia and witnessing her husband enter a polygamous marriage at the group’s instruction.

Having been involved with the movement since its Al-Arqam days, Yuwana described the transition period when the organisation was renamed Rufaqa’ before eventually becoming GISBH.

During this time, she underwent what she called a forced 'quarantine' in Nilai, Malaysia, intended to 'cleanse her sins.'

"The transition from Rufaqa' to GISBH required a year of quarantine to remove ‘wrong practices’. The people remained the same, only the name changed," Yuwana reportedly said.

One of her most painful experiences occurred in 2013 when her husband was instructed by the group’s leadership to take a second wife.

The directive came from GISBH’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Nasiruddin Mohd Ali, through an intermediary.

Fearing the potential consequences of defying the order, her husband complied.

"My husband received a message from Nasiruddin through another person, saying that he was instructed to practice polygamy. Of course, he did it because if he didn’t, we were unsure of what would happen, or where I would be sent," she shared.

Depression and Withdrawal from the Group

The stress and emotional pain caused by her husband’s second marriage took a severe toll on Yuwana’s mental health.

She spiralled into depression and decided to return to her own home.

This period marked a turning point in her journey with the organisation, as she began questioning the teachings and practices of GISBH.

Yuwana also shared her struggle with withdrawing from the group, citing the fact that her children were enrolled in the organisation’s dormitories in Malaysia.

She had initially hoped the schools would provide her children with proper Islamic teachings but soon grew disillusioned.

"I stopped my children from attending Malaysian schools and enrolled them in boarding schools, thinking they would be taught basic Islamic teachings. We were paying for it, and it wasn’t free," she said.

Despite her growing doubts, leaving GISBH was not easy. Yuwana feared restrictions on meeting her children if she distanced herself from the organisation.

Yuwana’s disillusionment with GISBH grew over time, especially after the death of Al-Arqam founder Ashaari Muhammad, also known as Abuya, in 2010.

"You could feel something was off. There was even a teaching about taking control of the Kaaba. I didn’t understand what was happening," she was quoted saying.

In 2015, Yuwana finally made the decision to leave GISBH, realising that the teachings conflicted with her own beliefs.

A year later, her husband divorced his second wife, and their children were no longer involved in the organisation’s dormitories.

For the record, the Malaysian police launched Op Global in September to weed out GISBH's activities in the country.

So far, police have arrested 415 individuals and rescued 625 victims aged between two months and 28 years.

Authorities have employed 12 different acts for their investigations, including the Child Act 2001, the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, ATIPSOM 2007, the Child Care Centres Act 1984, the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984, the Income Tax Act 1967 and the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.