MOSQUE committee members who punished a teenager for stealing by giving him a bath meant for the dead have been advised to apologise to the public by Shah Alam High Court judge Abd Halim Aman today.

Free Malaysia Today reported that the judge was recommending the public apology and not ordering it, so that the incident would be “a lesson to all parties” and also help clear the air.

Halim also said those who recorded the video of the teenager Daniel Iskandar being punished in that manner should also apologise.

The court today set aside the 10-day jail sentence and RM4,000 fine first imposed on Daniel, 19, for stealing money from a donation box at the Al-Islahiah Mosque in Kuang, Rawang, on the night of January 8.

It later emerged that the teen had a troubled background and social problems.

The video of mosque officials beating the boy with a rubber hose and subjecting him to the corpse cleansing ritual went viral and drew public anger at the way the boy was treated.

Judge Halim today said the fine and jail sentence would be substituted with community service at the mosque. Daniel will have to complete 120 hours of service over six months.

Arrangements are also being made by the Muslim Lawyers Association of Malaysia (PPMM) for the teen’s family, mosque committee members and those who recorded the video to meet and resolve their differences. – January 17, 2022.