UMNO Youth chief Datuk Dr Akmal Saleh called for teachers’ right to cane students to be reinstated in the wake of a rape incident in a school in Melaka.
“That’s why we agree to restore the authority to cane to teachers. If there’s no sense of fear, it’s hard to cultivate respect, and eventually, we end up with ill-mannered individuals,” he said. He said this is a way to educate and discipline students in schools.
He was commenting on an incident involving a Form Three female student at a secondary school in Melaka, who was allegedly gang-raped by two senior male students in a classroom in Alor Gajah around 2:50 PM last week, with the disturbing act being recorded and watched by two other students using a mobile phone.
Akmal added that caning is not intended to injure but serves as a lesson for students to understand their mistakes. “Caning is a form of lesson to be remembered, so they grow into righteous individuals in the future,” he said.
Meanwhile, Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek has urged the public to stop circulating recordings related to the recent sexual misconduct case involving students at a school in Melaka, stressing that the case involves minors who must be protected.
“We have asked the relevant ministries to take action to prevent the continued circulation of this issue as it involves school students. The public must understand that this case involves minors who must be protected,” she said after officiating the handover ceremony of Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Bandar Baharu Sungai Lalang today.
Melaka police have remanded four 17-year-old male students for six days to assist in the investigation into the alleged sexual assault on Oct 2.
The assault came to public attention after the video started spreading among the students. It was even discovered by the victim’s mother on Friday evening, Oct 10, 2025.
The victim is currently receiving psychosocial support and hospital care, Fadhlina said, adding that school safety measures and psychosocial support for teachers and students are being reinforced.—Oct 12, 2025
Main image: UMNO
