11 Punishments Every Malaysian Student Know All Too Well

The years spent in school could be one of the most memorable moments in someone’s life. It is the moment when you are introduced to the world by individuals you call teachers. Teachers are there to make you understand some of the world’s biggest secrets. But the roles of teachers do not stop there, as they are also responsible to knock the sense into you whenever you make mistakes with their variety of punishments. As Malaysians, some of you might be able to relate to these punishments.

1. Who Gets The Bigger Cane?

Caning is a classic punishment imposed by most teachers in Malaysia. But unlike most teachers, I remember when it was that time of the year for us to accept our exam results, my teacher would come into the classroom with not one, not two, but three canes of different sizes, ranging from the smallest in diameter to the largest. The teacher would give us some time to discuss among us and choose which cane he should use on us and that’s when everyone would come up with all sorts of theories on how to decide on the one cane.

2. Sky Is The Limit

It’s one of the punishments for every time a student makes a noise in the classroom. Noise made the first time would be given the first level treatment; which is standing up beside your chair, and from there it goes higher up. So, if you’re making noise then second time, expect to stand on the chair and lastly, the table.

3. Ugly Duckling

It sounds as horrible as it feels! The student with the offence would be told to squat like a duck and walk like one. ‘Jalan itik’ is the Malay word for it and more often than not, the student would be told to walk like that along the whole corridor and are made to endure loud laughter from neighbouring classrooms.

4. Instant Salon

Source: Kompasiana

It is not what you think it is. Unlike most salons that aim to make you look and feel good, this salon’s goal is to make you look ugly and feel humiliated. This is a special punishment for students with long hair or with hair trends which do not go along with the rules and regulations of the school. So, whenever we see the teachers with the scissors, we would brace our hairs!

5. Running Man

Source: Shaklee Semenyih

Running around the football field is not something you would only do during physical education class. Sometimes, you would be told to run because you have made offences like making noises when you’re not supposed to!

6. The classic ear pulling

It’s almost as if they think that pulling our ears will somehow stretch it and make us listen better?

7. ‘Ketuk Ketampi’

“Ketuk ketampi” is when you are made to cross your hands and hold your earlobes with your fingers then made to perform squats. You would be asked to do it repeatedly until the teacher is satisfied. Actually, the punishment has its roots in India and is a prayer position called thoppu karanam. Most teachers in India carry out this punishment for their students.

8. ‘Pumping’ or the push up

This one is an old school punishment. This punishment is usually carry out in the public and it seems to never get old!

9. Afternoon tanning session

Most Malaysians do not do tanning and hate the idea of going out under the sun. Dah lah Malaysian weather so hot! So this is a perfect way for Malaysian teachers to punish their students where students would be told to go out and stand under the sun for a given time.

10. Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind

It’s a simple rule for the teacher: If you don’t want to listen in class, then get out.

11. Malaysia’s Got Talent Moment

Source: Shaklee Semenyih

This is a punishment that usually takes place during assembly session. The students who are caught coming late to school would be call immediately to the front of the whole school during the assembly session and would be ask to do the “ketuk ketampi” and stand there for the whole session! Major embarrassment!

Also read: 10 Things Malaysians Used to Do in Primary School That Made No Sense