Thirty-three male students from Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Bandar Baru Uda have alleged physical abuse during a motivational camp at the Kluang Prison last week.

During the three-day camp, the students claimed their heads were shaved, beaten on the abdomen, handcuffed and forced to wear prison uniforms and woken up as early as 4.30am for drills.

One of the students Mohd Fakhrullah Masali, 16, claimed they were told it was a motivational programme for students with disciplinary problems and that it would be held at a hotel.

"Instead, we were taken to the Kluang Prison last Friday, ordered to surrender our personal belongings to the camp organiser and treated like convicts," he told reporters in Johor Bahru today.

Another student Firdaus Mohammad, 16, claimed they had to do push-ups, roll on the road and perform squats up to 150 times.

They were also scolded and hit until some cried, he added.

Johor Bahru Umno Youth chief Khalid Mohamed said he had received a memorandum signed by parents of the boys, adding it would be handed over to Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.

"I hope the ministry will investigate the matter and take stern action against the organisers, including the Kluang Prison," he said, describing their action as cruel and uncivilised.

The school's parent-teacher association president Samsol Bari Jamali said the association was aware of the programme for students to go through a simulation of life in prison.

He noted that two other schools had conducted a similar programme previously.

He said the consultant (for the programme) was the same person appointed by the Johor Bahru district education office, with perhaps, different modules.

Samsol Bari said the school authorities would meet the students when school re-opened on Wednesday.

- Bernama