Ban Tahfiz Dorms Called for Amid Rise in Child Abuse Cases

Nazir Ariff, founder of the Children’s Protection Society, has called for the banning of dormitories at religious schools, citing a rise in abuse and grooming cases involving students at Islamic hostels. He argues that these residential institutions lack proper oversight, leaving children vulnerable to abuse by teachers or other trusted adults. “If you can’t supervise them properly, shut them down. These are children. They’re not safe in these asrama,” Nazir stated.

He advocates for faith-based education to be delivered through structured day classes rather than fully residential settings, allowing children to return home each day. “Religious instruction can still be provided, but let the children go home. Too many are sent to these schools because they’re free, not because they’re safe,” he said.

Recent abuse cases have drawn attention to the risks associated with religious school hostels. In Negeri Sembilan, a 38-year-old warden at a Quranic centre admitted to sodomising and molesting seven boys aged between nine and 12. He received a six-year prison sentence and four strokes of the cane. In Selangor, four students from Tahfiz Darul Quran Ittifaqiyyah, aged 13 and 14, were found with injuries consistent with abuse and sexual assault. They had run away and were later found wandering in a nearby village.

The Selangor Islamic religious department (Jais) has warned that any religious school found to be involved in such offences could face closure. “These are not isolated incidents. It’s happening in multiple states. But the silence from many quarters is deafening, especially when religion is involved,” Nazir said.

He noted that many children do not report abuse due to fear, shame, or a lack of trust in the system. The recent increase in reported cases, he explained, may not indicate a rise in abuse, but rather a growing willingness among victims to speak out. “People feel more comfortable reporting abuse now. They trust the police and welfare officers will act. That’s why more cases are coming to light, not because such abuse has suddenly worsed,” he said.

Nazir also emphasized the importance of teaching children to recognize and respond to unsafe situations. “A simple salam can become a grooming tool. We must teach children that it’s okay to say no if they feel uncomfortable, even to an elder,” he added.

He called for the reintroduction of age-appropriate sex education, taught under a neutral subject name, to help children understand safe and unsafe touch, consent, and personal boundaries. “Let’s not argue over terminology. Let’s focus on teaching children what’s wrong.”

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