Committee to review safeguards protecting minors in Islamic institutions after mosque sex abuse case

Published Sep 08, 2026, 04:24 PM

Updated Sep 08, 2026, 04:24 PM

A committee will be formed to review and strengthen safeguards protecting minors in mosques and Islamic religious schools in Singapore.

The review follows a case where a self-styled religious influencer sexually abused two young brothers, one of them at a mosque.

MUIS and mosque boards will work on clearer reporting, monitoring informal gatherings, and building trust while preserving openness in religious spaces.

SINGAPORE - Safeguards are already in place to protect minors in mosques and Islamic religious schools but rules alone are not enough, said Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Zaqy Mohamad.

Speaking in Parliament on Sept 8, he announced a committee will be convened to review how existing measures to protect minors in such settings can be strengthened.

This comes after two young children were sexually abused by a self-styled “religious influencer” who conducted religious classes at a mosque without permission.

The committee will study how children and youths can access religious guidance safely - including from formal and informal religious instructions.

It will be led by two chairpersons, associate professor Razwana Begum and Ustaz Fathurrahman Dawoed.

The committee will report to Zaqy.

On Aug 17, a 37-year-old man was sentenced to 27 years and 10 months’ jail and 24 strokes of the cane after pleading guilty to three charges of rape and two charges of outrage of modesty.

The man had met the boys at the mosque and became a part of their lives, even becoming a father figure and their religious guide.

But between 2022 and 2023, the man raped the younger boy who was between six and eight years old, on several occasions, including at the mosque where they prayed together.

He molested the older boy, who was 11 to 12 years old, on several occasions.

On the fact that the boys had met the man in the mosque, Zaqy said: “That’s what angers me the most. The child basically came to the mosque for solace, for religious guidance, but unfortunately (met) the wrong person.”

Zaqy added that since the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) was informed of the incident in 2025, mosques have increased measures to include CCTV monitoring and routine checking on groups involving children and youth.

Nine MPs from both sides of the aisle had posed questions to Zaqy and Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs Goh Pei Ming on Sept 8.

They asked about how the safeguards and guidelines could be consistently implemented across all mosques, and what additional safeguards are needed beyond professional recognition for religious leaders.

In response, Zaqy said MUIS will implement any safeguard measures through its four district offices that work together with the mosques’ administration and staff, which will allow information to be clearly passed through to all staff and volunteers. “We will also strengthen the monitoring of informal activities at mosques…MUIS has tightened this monitoring on informal activities involving youth and children. Patrols have also been increased, and our staff and our volunteers are trained to identify suspicious behavior and take necessary action,” Zaqy added.

Zaqy said he has also tasked MUIS to work with mosques, parents and the wider community to keep children and youth safe by establishing a common safeguarding approach across all mosques - such as clearer reporting and escalation protocols, and closer monitoring of informal gatherings.

Said Zaqy: “I am grateful for the active involvement of our mosque boards, staff and volunteers. This incident does not diminish their good work over the years. But precisely because our mosques are sacred places of trust, learning and belonging, we must hold ourselves to a high standard.”

That will include putting in new measures, but at the same time preserving the openness and welcoming spirit of religious institutions in Singapore, he added.

Said Zaqy: “We will look hard at where we fell short, strengthen our safeguards, and act on the lessons from this case. Every child deserves to feel safe. Their well-being must always come first, and that is a responsibility we will not take lightly.”

The man was arrested following an allegation that he had committed outrage of modesty against a 17-year-old youth. He was released on bail that day.

The man befriended an 11-year-old boy who had recognised him at the mosque through his TikTok account, where he posted videos on religion.

The man got to know the older boy’s six-year-old brother and spent time with him alone.

He raped the younger boy several times, including inside the mosque where the brothers attended religious classes.

The man molested the older brother.

The older boy told his mother about the man’s actions. He was arrested on the same day and remanded.

The man was sentenced to 27 years and 10 months’ jail and 24 strokes of the cane.

发布于 2026 年 9 月 8 日下午 4:24

更新于2026年9月8日下午4:24

将成立一个委员会，审查并加强新加坡清真寺和伊斯兰宗教学校中保护未成年人的保障措施。

该案源于一名自称宗教网红的男子性侵两名幼兄弟，其中一名受害者在清真寺内遭到性侵。

伊斯兰宗教理事会和清真寺理事会将致力于更清晰的报告机制、监督非正式聚会、建立信任，同时保持宗教场所的开放性。

新加坡——负责穆斯林事务的代理部长扎基·穆罕默德表示，虽然已经采取了保障措施来保护清真寺和伊斯兰宗教学校中的未成年人，但仅靠规则是不够的。

9月8日，他在议会发表讲话时宣布，将成立一个委员会，审查如何加强现有措施以保护此类环境中的未成年人。

此前，一名自称“宗教影响者”的人未经许可在清真寺举办宗教课程，并对两名幼童进行了性虐待。

委员会将研究儿童和青少年如何安全地获得宗教指导——包括来自正规和非正规宗教指导的指导。

该机构将由两位主席领导，分别是副教授拉兹瓦娜·贝古姆和乌斯塔兹·法图拉赫曼·达沃德。

委员会将向扎基汇报工作。

8 月 17 日，一名 37 岁男子承认犯有三项强奸罪和两项猥亵罪，被判处 27 年 10 个月监禁和 24 下鞭刑。

这名男子在清真寺结识了这些男孩，并融入了他们的生活，甚至成为了他们的父亲和宗教导师。

但在 2022 年至 2023 年间，该男子多次强奸了这名年龄在 6 至 8 岁之间的男孩，其中包括在他们一起祈祷的清真寺里。

他曾多次猥亵一名年龄在 11 至 12 岁之间的大男孩。

扎基谈到男孩们在清真寺遇到那个男人这件事时说：“这才是最让我生气的地方。孩子来清真寺是为了寻求慰藉和宗教指导，但不幸的是，他遇到了错的人。”

Zaqy补充说，自从新加坡伊斯兰宗教理事会（MUIS）在2025年获悉这起事件后，清真寺就加强了措施，包括闭路电视监控和对涉及儿童和青少年的团体进行例行检查。

9月8日，来自两党的九名国会议员向扎基和内政部高级政务部长吴佩明提出了质询。

他们询问如何才能在所有清真寺中一致地实施这些保障措施和指导方针，以及除了对宗教领袖的专业认可之外，还需要哪些额外的保障措施。

对此，扎基表示，伊斯兰宗教理事会（MUIS）将通过其四个区办事处与清真寺管理人员和工作人员合作，落实各项保障措施，确保信息清晰传达至所有工作人员和志愿者。“我们还将加强对清真寺非正式活动的监管……MUIS已加强对涉及青少年和儿童的非正式活动的监管。巡逻力度也已加大，我们的工作人员和志愿者都接受过培训，能够识别可疑行为并采取必要行动。”扎基补充道。

扎基表示，他还责成伊斯兰宗教理事会与清真寺、家长和更广泛的社区合作，通过在所有清真寺建立共同的保护方法（例如更清晰的报告和升级协议，以及对非正式聚会的更密切监控）来保障儿童和青少年的安全。

扎基说：“我感谢我们清真寺理事会、工作人员和志愿者的积极参与。这次事件并不会抹杀他们多年来的辛勤工作。但正因为我们的清真寺是神圣的信任、学习和归属之地，我们才更应该坚持高标准。”

他补充说，这将包括采取新的措施，但同时也要保持新加坡宗教机构的开放和包容精神。

扎基表示：“我们将认真审视我们的不足之处，加强保障措施，并吸取此次事件的教训。每个孩子都应该感到安全。他们的福祉必须始终放在首位，我们绝不会轻视这份责任。”

该男子因涉嫌对一名17岁少女进行猥亵而被捕，当天即获保释。

这名男子与一名 11 岁男孩成为了朋友，男孩在清真寺通过他的 TikTok 账号认出了他，他在 TikTok 上发布了一些关于宗教的视频。

这名男子认识了哥哥六岁的弟弟，并单独和他相处了一段时间。

他多次强奸了年纪较小的男孩，包括在兄弟俩上宗教课的清真寺内。

这名男子猥亵了哥哥。

年纪较大的男孩把那名男子的行为告诉了母亲。他当天就被逮捕并被还押候审。

该男子被判处 27 年 10 个月监禁和 24 下鞭刑。