M’sians Slam Da’i Syed’s Brother for ‘Insensitive’ Post on Preacher’s Repentance
Backlash After Repentance Post
Malaysians took to social media to criticise Syed Iqbal, the younger brother of former celebrity preacher Da’i Syed, after he shared a post reflecting on his brother’s alleged repentance following his rape conviction.
The post, which has since been deleted, came shortly after the Shah Alam High Court upheld Da’i Syed’s conviction and sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and three strokes of the cane.
Court Upholds Conviction
Da’i Syed, whose real name is Syed Shah Iqmal Syed Mohd Shaiful, was convicted of raping a 23-year-old woman at a condominium unit in I-City, Shah Alam, on 11 September 2019. He had pleaded not guilty to the charge.
On appeal, the Shah Alam High Court dismissed his case, confirming the original sentence. Syed had previously been granted temporary release pending the outcome of the appeal proceedings.
“He Sought Forgiveness From Allah”
In his deleted post, Iqbal wrote that his brother had shown significant personal change prior to being imprisoned. He claimed Syed had become more diligent in prayer, avoided speaking ill of others, and appeared humble despite his circumstances.
“He sought forgiveness from Allah,” Iqbal wrote, adding that Syed spent long hours praying and reminded others about faith.
Iqbal stressed that his post was not intended to defend the crime or seek sympathy, but rather to share his own observations as a family member.
Public Reaction Focuses on Sensitivity
Despite the clarification, many social media users criticised the timing and nature of the post, arguing that highlighting repentance publicly was insensitive to the victim and those affected by the crime.
Several netizens said that while personal reflection is understandable, sharing such sentiments publicly risked minimising the gravity of the offence.
Public Apology Issued
On 25 January, Iqbal issued a public apology via Instagram, acknowledging that the post should not have been shared publicly.
“That was my personal reflection, and I am not defending him,” he wrote, adding that he was not justifying the crime nor dismissing the pain experienced by the victim.
“I am not greenlighting his crime, and I am not denying anyone’s pain. I admit that my previous post shouldn’t have been made public, and I truly regret it.”
Calls to End Harassment
In the same statement, Iqbal urged the public to stop directing threats and harassment at him and his family members. He said he would remain silent moving forward and leave the matter to the appropriate authorities.
Meanwhile, Da’i Syed’s wife has maintained a low profile, stating previously that she would leave the matter to God and the legal process.
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