UNICEF urges Malaysia to ban corporal punishment in schools
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — The U.N. children’s agency on Thursday urged Malaysia to ban corporal punishment in schools, following the death of an 11-year-old boy who was allegedly abused at a religious school.
The boy, Mohamad Thaqif Amin Mohamad Gaddafi, was allegedly whipped with a water hose at a private Islamic boarding school last month, and his legs had to be amputated last week due to a bacterial infection. He died Wednesday.
Police have detained the assistant warden, who is accused of whipping the boy and several other students as punishment.
The case has sparked outrage in predominantly Muslim Malaysia, with Prime Minister Najib Razak ordering police to speed up their investigation.