Aussie mother removes son from tahfiz, questions 'rotan' culture

 

A mother’s hope for her son to be a “hafiz” and memorise the Quran was cut short after she was forced to remove him from a religious school in Sungai Merab, Bangi, over a case of alleged physical abuse since earlier this year.

An Australian citizen, Nisa Wulandari who is of Indonesian descent, said she was recommended to enrol her 13-year-old son, Mustofa Adam Putra, at the Maahad Tahfiz Pondok Durani, an institution registered with the Selangor Islamic Religious Department.

Last Saturday, the discovery of multiple bruises and scars from “rotan” (cane) beatings on her son’s body prompted Nisa to instruct for a police report to be lodged so actions could be taken against the perpetrator.

Malaysiakini sighted a copy of the police report lodged at the Bandar Kinrara station by an individual assigned by Nisa, who is residing in Perth with her husband and four other children, as Mustofa’s caregiver.

“On May 17, at around 10.30pm at the above (house) address, I received a video call from the mother of Mustofa Adam Putra, Nisa Wulandari from Australia, showing bruises on her son’s back from being caned,” read the police report.

The police report did not name the male perpetrator but Nisa, who arrived in Kuala Lumpur earlier this week, told Malaysiakini four police personnel arrested him when they went to the school last Saturday.

Malaysiakini also sighted several images believed to be of old “rotan” scars on Mustofa’s back and arms, as well as still-reddish bruises on his shoulder blade.

“He was remanded for four days, convicted in court, and sentenced to jail for two weeks,” said Nisa, who was in Malaysia to take her son back to Australia permanently.

“My son still wants to continue his studies there, he has many friends, but as a mother, I cannot allow him to stay,” she said.

Nisa claimed the alleged abuse started earlier this year after the school was placed under the DarSa education network, owned by Yayasan Darul Sajidin founder Muhd Zainul Asri Mohd Romli, which also operates DarSa Fried Chicken.

The school’s Facebook page also featured a photograph of Zainul attending its official opening last November.

Use of cane ‘acceptable’

When contacted, Pondok Durani’s headmaster Mohd Fairus Shuaib confirmed the perpetrator is currently in jail, at the same time saying it was “unfortunate” that the incident could not be resolved through internal discussions.

“We are saddened and apologise for the oversight that happened.

“On our part, we have learnt our lesson regarding the incident that happened and have taken urgent action to improve our weaknesses,” he said.

He said no decision has also been made on the perpetrator’s status at the school.

At the same time, Fairus said while the use of the cane in classrooms is regarded as “acceptable”, to cause permanent scarring would be “a little overboard”.

“Caning is not intended to abuse. Just being a little bit strict to ‘discipline’ students when memorising the Quran,” he said, adding that Pondok Durani students are given a target of memorising one page a day.

Culture of abuse

As an Australian citizen, Nisa said she has also reported the case to the Australian High Commission in Kuala Lumpur.

“My intention to highlight the case is to actually question the public’s opinion on the ‘rotan’ culture in schools here (Malaysia). In Australia or Indonesia, it would not have been tolerated.

“While I agree that it (‘rotan’) can be a ‘powerful’ (teaching) method, there are some individuals who cannot differentiate the limit (of abuse).

“What is the limit and who sets it? A child can be affected mentally and they can grow up to be individuals who perpetuate the same culture of abuse,” she argued.

Since taking her son out of the school, Nisa said she hopes that more parents will be aware of the impact of such incidents on their children’s future. - Mkini