'Developed nations don't use caning': M'sia education ministry after school gang rape case

A shocking case of alleged gang rape in a Malaysia school prompted at least one politician to suggest the use of corporal punishment to deter negative behaviour.

However, the director-general of Malaysia's education ministry has rejected using the cane on students, saying this is not done in "developed" countries.

"Caning is not murder"

On Oct. 11, four students in Melaka, all aged 17, have been arrested for their alleged involvement in the gang-rape of a female schoolmate, 15.

Two of the youths were alleged to have acted as the "look-outs" while the other two allegedly raped her.

On Oct. 11, UMNO youth chief Akmal Saleh proposed allowing teachers to cane wayward students who violate the rules.

In a Facebook post, he said "caning is not murder" and the punishment would remind the offenders of the mistakes they have made.

We don't do that here

However on Oct. 13, director-general Mohd Azam Ahmad said the ministry would not be doing so.

Instead, the ministry aims to shape a "civilised and moral generation" through guidance and example instead of physical punishment, Sinar Harian reported.

He added that "developed countries" that do not use corporal or physical punishment are still capable of developing "disciplined" and "ethical" children.

"Other developed countries do not use the rotan (cane), but they can produce a civilised generation," he said.

This was met with incredulity by Akmal, according to Sinar Harian, as he pointed out that in a "developed" country like the UK which does not have corporal punishment in schools, there were numerous complaints of sexual harassment at the primary school level.

Top image from The Star YouTube.