Quran teacher arrested after alleged abuse of 12-year-old student in Ampang

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 29 — A foreign Quran teacher was arrested on suspicion of abusing his 12-year-old pupil for refusing to read the Quran in Kampung Melayu Ampang, near here, last Sunday.

Ampang Jaya police chief ACP Mohd Azam Ismail said the 37-year-old man was arrested at 5.45 pm on Monday, a day after the child’s father, who is also a foreign national from the same country, came to file a report alleging that his son had been beaten by the suspect.

“The man claimed that when his son returned home, there were visible injuries on his back from being beaten by the suspect with a cane.

“The victim was taken to Ampang Hospital for further examination. The reason for the beating was because the victim refused to read the Quran as instructed by the suspect,” he said in a statement today.

According to Mohd Azam, the suspect has no prior criminal record, and a urine drug test confirmed he was negative for drugs.

“A remand application for the suspect at the Ampang Court was granted for seven days, starting from Dec 24,” he said, adding that the case is being investigated under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001 for abuse, neglect, abandonment, or exposure of a child. — Bernama