A 50-year-old man has been charged in Singapore after allegedly starting a fire outside a mosque at UOB Plaza in Raffles Place, prompting concerns over public safety and the need to protect Singapore’s social harmony.
Police said they were alerted at about 9pm on Sept. 25 to a fire outside Masjid Moulana Mohamed Ali at 80 Raffles Place. The man allegedly placed an oil tin at the mosque entrance and set fire to an undergarment inside before leaving the scene.
The fire was extinguished by a member of the public before emergency services needed to intervene further. No injuries were reported, and the mosque’s operations were not affected by the incident.
Police officers from the Central Police Division used ground enquiries and footage from police cameras to identify the suspect. He was arrested within three hours of the incident, and a lighter was seized as a case exhibit.
The man was charged under Section 285 of Singapore’s Penal Code 1871 with causing or contributing to a risk of dangerous fire. If convicted, the offence carries a maximum penalty of one year’s imprisonment, a fine, or both.
The incident drew a response from Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Zaqy Mohamad, who said it was a reminder that Singapore’s peace and harmony should not be taken for granted. He also thanked the member of the public who acted quickly to extinguish the fire.
Zaqy also reassured the Muslim community that the mosque remained safe and that its regular operations were unaffected.
The incident occurred at a mosque located in Singapore’s central business district, where the surrounding Raffles Place area is normally heavily populated by workers, commuters and visitors. The absence of injuries meant the immediate physical consequences were limited, but the circumstances surrounding a fire deliberately alleged to have been started at a place of worship have added sensitivity to the case.
Authorities have not publicly established a motive for the alleged act. The charge also remains an allegation at this stage, and the man’s guilt will be determined through the court process.
The case comes as Singapore continues to emphasize the importance of maintaining religious and racial harmony, particularly when incidents occur at places of worship.
The bigger concern now is what the court proceedings will reveal about the circumstances behind the alleged fire and whether further details emerge about why the mosque was targeted.
