Yayasan Chow Kit co-founder Hartini Zainudin asked why religious teachers were exempted from such training.
“Anybody who comes into contact with children must be educated on child rights and protection,” she told FMT.
She also suggested that the education ministry’s reproductive and social health (PEERS) module be taught in religious-type schools, and for their teachers to receive proper training so that they convey the right information to pupils.
Earlier this month, Kosmo quoted Bukit Aman sexual, women and child investigation division deputy director Siti Kamsiah Hassan as saying that sexual crimes involving religious teachers and celebrity preachers were on the rise.
Siti Kamsiah said these perpetrators often use their status to gain the trust of their victims before engaging in grooming.
“They begin with requests for massages, then escalate to sexual acts,” she said, adding that in some instances, perpetrators manipulated the situation to make their victims feel guilty or ashamed about speaking out.
Siti Kamsiah said many of the victims idolise these religious figures and hesitate to come forward for fear of retaliation, including the loss of financial support from the perpetrators.
Hartini expressed concern over this trend, saying many who attend religious schools and reside in welfare homes come from the more vulnerable segments of society, including poor families and orphans.
She also called for better community awareness and for parents to inquire into the background of religious teachers and staff before sending their children to them.
A systematic failure
Hartini said the broader issue revolves around the need for stronger regulation and oversight of religious-type schools, including mandatory registration and regular inspections.
“They are the only type of schools not monitored by a federal institution because they fall under the respective states’ purview,” she said, adding that the lack of oversight had led to “systematic failure”.
Meanwhile, women’s rights group Sisters in Islam (SIS) said the structures in religious education institutions, especially informal ones, must be examined to ensure better checks and balances.
“Are religious institutions implementing strict oversight and ensuring accountability in relation to sexual misconduct? Do they conduct thorough background checks and vetting processes before granting individuals positions of authority?” it asked.
A ‘deeply troubling’ trend
SIS said the trend highlighted by Siti Kamsiah was “deeply troubling”, particularly as society places unquestioning trust in religious figures. This creates an environment where injustice can thrive in silence.
It said a 2022 survey jointly conducted with Merdeka Center revealed that 87% of Muslim youths claimed that religion was the most important marker of their identity.
The survey also found that 72% of respondents agreed that “true Muslims” should follow the words of religious leaders or scholars and obey them without question, while 73% agreed that Islam should be practised in the strictest way, regardless of circumstances.
“This highlights how religious figures are highly influential in shaping a community’s thinking, especially youths’ minds, often placing religious authorities on a pedestal,” SIS said.
SIS said, to change this narrative, all offenders, including religious figures, must be held accountable. Doing so does not amount to an attack on the faith itself but is aligned with Islamic principles of justice and equality, it added.
Victim protection
Hartini called for greater focus to be placed on establishing SOPs for reporting and how best to protect victims, adding that protection measures should not be addressed as an afterthought.
“Victim-blaming must stop. We must create spaces where survivors are believed, their voices are amplified, and their experiences are honoured,” SIS said.