Singaporean founder of Melaka religious school pleads not guilty to sexual abuse
MELAKA - The Singaporean founder of a tahfiz education centre in Malaysia, has pleaded not guilty and claimed trial at a Melaka court to five charges of sexual assault and committing unnatural sex on students.
Muhammad Firdaous Abdul Rashif, 40, was charged in two proceedings presided over by two judges at the Ayer Keroh Sessions Courts on Wednesday.
He was arrested together with his younger brother, 36, for alleged sexual assault and physical abuse of six male students at two religious centres in Melaka.
The younger brother is still remanded.
Firdaous was charged of sexually assaulting three students aged 13, 14 and 15 in a room at the teacher’s quarters in Tahfiz Al-Islah, the religious school he founded in Tanjung Minyak, Melaka on July 20, 2022 and March 2023.
Tahfiz, which means to memorise in Arabic, refers to an Islamic tradition of memorising all verses of the Quran.
The three charges were framed under the Sexual Offences Against Children Act.
He faces a jail term of up to 20 years and caning.
Two other charges against the accused were framed under Section 377C of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment and whipping upon conviction.
He was alleged to have performed unnatural sex acts against two male students at the same location in March.
Counsel Fahmy Sulaiman, who represented the accused, appealed for his client to be granted a lower bail as he had two wives and six children.
He was granted bail of RM20,000 (S$5,900) at one court but was denied bail at the other.
His case will next be heard in court on June 19.
Last Friday, the two Singaporean brothers were detained by Melaka police over the alleged sexual assault and abuse of six boys.
Melaka police chief Zainol Samah said the elder brother, the principal of two tahfiz centres in Tanjung Minyak and Alor Gajah, had allegedly sexually abused three boys while his brother, the warden, had sexually abused three other boys.
Deputy commissioner Zainol said six police reports were lodged between 6.30pm and 9.13pm last Thursday against the duo.
He added that the elder brother had a criminal record of two other sexual offences. - THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
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