Two shocking incidents rocked Malaysia recently, both taking place in schools in the country. On 2 October, a 15-year-old student at a school in Melaka was gang-raped by 2 Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) candidates in a classroom while two others recorded the assault.
Yesterday (14 October), a 16-year-old female student was stabbed to death by a Form 2 student in a school in Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
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Dr Akmal reiterates calls for teachers to be allowed to rotan students
Following the two shocking incidents, UMNO Youth Chief Datuk Dr Akmal Saleh has reiterated his calls for teachers to be given the authority to cane students who break school rules.
He also criticised the Ministry of Education’s (MOE) stance against using the rotan as a disciplinary tool in schools. Education Director-General Dr Mohd Azam Ahmad had previously said that the ministry believes in nurturing a well-mannered and morally upright generation through guidance and example, not physical punishment.
Dr Mohd Azam added that many developed countries have shown it’s possible to raise disciplined and ethical students without resorting to caning.
“Every place has its own way”
In a statement, Dr Akmal questioned MOE’s stance and asked what kind of “good manners” the ministry was referring to.
“Let me share some issues faced by schools in developed countries like the United Kingdom (UK), which don’t use caning as a disciplinary method. As a result, they’ve recorded nearly 1,664 cases of sexual harassment in primary schools alone. So what kind of ‘good manners’ is the ministry talking about when adopting practices from these so-called developed nations?” he wrote.
Dr Akmal added that Malaysia should build its own system instead of blindly following countries “whose culture and way of life are different,” warning that such methods may not work here and could lead to negative consequences.
“In Islam, there’s a proper and intentional way to discipline, even allowing light punishment for educational purposes, such as when a child neglects their prayers.”
Datuk Dr Akmal Saleh
He said the future of the next generation depends on the actions taken today, and shared a few of his own suggestions on how things could be improved:
- Reinstate teachers’ authority to cane students, with the intent to educate.
- The ministry should make mental health screening mandatory for all students.
- Increase the use of CCTV in school areas.
- Monitor and control students’ internet use and online content.
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