Singapore—Islamic religious leaders, as well as an MP from the Muslim community, have expressed outrage over a degrading online poll of local female religious teachers or asatizah.
The shocking poll asked respondents to vote for the female teacher who, they believed, deserved a “gangbang”.
The poll was posted on the US-based social media site MeWe.
A screenshot of the poll was first brought to light in an Instagram post by Ustaz Muhammad Zahid Mohd Zin late on Wednesday (May 26).
At the time he took the screenshot, 245 individuals had cast their votes.
Ustaz Zahid blocked out the photos of the female teachers as well as the number of votes they got.
He wrote, “I got a distress call from an Ustazah and were (sic) shocked!! All listed here in an app are our local Asatizah!!! Who did this must be held accountable! Ive promised them to make sure those involved will be hold (sic) responsible!!”
The screenshot was also shared on Instagram by the deputy director of the Office of the Mufti at the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis), Ustaz Irwan Hadi, who called for “full force” action.
Ustaz Irwan wrote, “Sick people must be treated or even punished by whatever legal means possible..I am utterly disgusted..this shouldn’t be happening to any ladies including our local Ustazat who are the ones providing religious guidance..n guys who do this deserve the full force of the law on them..full stop..”
Member of Parliament Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim (PAP-Chua Chu Kang GRC) commented on Ustaz Irwan’s post, calling for a report to be made on the poster and the 245 people who responded, as they “must be held accountable”.
“This is totally unacceptable against women and our asatizah. Report Ustaz. The person and the 245 or so who polled must be held accountable. If not here, then the hereafter,” he wrote.
On his own Instagram account, the MP wrote that he is “Appalled, disgusted and disappointed.
“I read my news feed last night on this and I think we men can do better as a society,” he added.
From his experience in working as a lawyer and volunteer with Casa Raudha Women Home, he said, “I find that beneath physical or sexual violence lies patriarchal or misogynistic mindset that needs to be eradicated.”
He also acknowledged the need for greater awareness to change such mindsets, as well as to “increase whistleblowing and protection for female asatizah, congregants, staff or students”.
The MP then underlined an earlier point.
“We men can do better. Must do better.
Borrowing a quote from anti-apartheid activist and preacher Desmond Tutu, he added: “It is by standing up for the rights of girls and women that we truly measure up as men.”
/TISG
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