The gang rape incident at a school in Melaka has sparked outrage among Malaysians, with UMNO Youth Chief Datuk Dr Akmal Saleh calling for teachers to be given the authority to cane students who break school rules.
He stressed that “caning with a rotan is not murder,” saying the punishment serves as a reminder for students to learn from their mistakes. He also warned that sparing the rod would only lead to students becoming spoiled and undisciplined.
“We do not use the rotan as a tool in education”
Following this, the Ministry of Education (MOE) has reaffirmed its stance against using the rotan as a disciplinary tool in schools, instead focusing on an education approach rooted in values, manners, and character development, according to Sinar Harian.
Director-General of Education, Dr Mohd Azam Ahmad, said the ministry believes in shaping a well-mannered and morally upright generation through guidance and example rather than physical punishment.
He noted that developed countries have shown that education systems which do not use caning can still produce disciplined and ethical generations.
“MOE’s stance is clear: We do not use the rotan as a tool in education. Other developed countries don’t use it either, yet they’re able to raise well-mannered generations,” he said.
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