Video of man stepping on Quran likely by person behind similar videos who was convicted in July 2025

SINGAPORE – The perpetrator behind a video that depicts him stepping on a Quran is likely to have been the same person who posted similar videos before, Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam said on the evening of March 8.

Speaking to the media at a hard court in Yishun before a Nee Soon GRC community event, he said the man was convicted in July 2025 and released in December. There had been evidence he was mentally unwell, he added.

Mr Shanmugam, who is also Coordinating Minister for National Security, said the perpetrator is currently overseas, and that he will be interviewed by the police when he returns. His comments come after the police on March 7 issued disabling directions (DDs) under the Online Criminal Harms Act 2023 to Meta over social media posts showing a video of a man stepping on the Quran.

“We have issued five DDs to Meta to disable access to the content, and the posts containing the video are no longer accessible to end users in Singapore,” the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said in a statement on March 8.

The video is believed to have been taken on a public bus in Singapore.

Mr Shanmugam, who was at the March 8 event with Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Faishal Ibrahim and fellow Nee Soon GRC MP Syed Harun Alhabsyi, said the authorities were alerted to the video after a police report was filed.

“I think those who have seen the video would know it is deeply offensive. Any time you have been offensive, let alone during Ramadan, the police have taken action.”

He said: “These videos are unacceptable... In Singapore, people will understand why we take action immediately.”

Associate Professor Faishal added that acts like these only “sow discord and erode the trust that we have worked hard to build in our multiracial and multi-religious society”.

Their comments come after the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission on March 2 issued a statement saying that it had received several complaints from the Malaysian public over a video depicting a person stepping on a Quran.

The commission said the video was from 2024, and had resurfaced on social media. It also said its investigations showed that the individual is a Singaporean and the incident is also believed to have occurred in Singapore. The Malaysian authorities also identified the perpetrator as a Malay man. 

The commission added that it is working with the social media platforms involved – particularly Threads, Facebook and TikTok – to take action, including blocking distribution and access to the content in Malaysia.

In the video, a man wearing black socks can be seen riffling through the pages of a Quran with his feet, and stepping on it. The book is placed on the back seat of a public bus.

While the original video is no longer available, it was reposted and shared on other social media platforms, MHA added in its March 8 statement.

MHA and the police have assessed that the content of the video constitutes an offence of insulting the religion of another person under Section 17F(4) of the Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act 1990.

“While some individuals may have reposted the video to condemn the actions of the original poster, doing so perpetuates the offensive content online,” the ministry said, adding that members of the public who come across such content are advised to inform the authorities instead.

Police investigations are ongoing.

MHA said it takes a strong stance against threats to Singapore’s racial and religious harmony.

“We will not tolerate such behaviour, and offenders will be dealt with swiftly and firmly,” it said.