Silat instructor used 'salam' greeting to pull 14-year-old student close and kiss her; jailed over 5 months

A 59-year-old silat instructor was sentenced to five months and five weeks' jail on Tuesday (Sept 22) after pleading guilty to molesting a 14-year-old student and engaging in sexual communication with a minor.The man kissed the girl on the forehead twice and on the cheek once after pulling her towards him during a traditional greeting known as a "salam", reported The Straits Times. The victim started attending silat lessons in November 2024, with the man as her instructor.At the end of a lesson sometime between November and December 2024, the man asked the girl to perform a "salam".As she held his hand and brought it towards her forehead as part of the greeting, he held onto her hand and drew her closer.He then embraced the girl and kissed her forehead over her hijab, leaving her feeling uncomfortable.He repeated the act between January and February 2025.On a separate occasion between January and March 2025, he kissed her cheek.The man also exchanged messages with the girl through Telegram in February 2025, using the platform's disappearing messages feature.