Parents should educate their children so they will not do things against eastern values, National Parent-Teacher Association Collaborative Council (PIBGN) president Mohamad Ali Hassan said.

He was commenting on the statement by a mother of a boy who was seen giving a schoolmate a peck on the cheek and hugging her in a video clip widely circulated on the internet.

The boy's mother told Malaysiakini the matter should not be blown out of proportion especially since the couple are 'just kids'.

Ali, however, believes that children would be embarrassed to do such a thing publicly.

“These teenagers no longer have a sense of shame,” he told Malaysiakini.

He said the students seemed to be easily influenced and that such acts are probably trendy among teenagers today.

“Parents should be preventing such things from happening instead of accepting such acts and justifying them by saying they are just kids.

“I don’t think kids would do such things and would let them be posted on social media,” he said.

In the 15-second clip, the girl was seen running towards the boy who was on bended knee, holding something believed to be a gift.

The couple, who was in secondary school uniform, was surrounded by other students at the time who also cheered them on.

After hugging each other, the boy kissed the girl on her cheek.

The video appeared to be shot at a school field.

The boy's mother explained the boy was asking the girl to be his prom date, and that the duo have known each other since they were small.

Trend among teenagers

Ali lamented how it has become a trend for teenagers to post such videos on social media.

“This is unhealthy and shows that there is something wrong with our youngsters,” he said.

He urged the government and the Education Ministry to take the matter seriously.

This includes ensuring what is learnt through Islamic Studies and Moral Studies are practised instead of the students just memorising them to pass examinations, he said.

The Education Ministry said it will investigate the matter.

The ministry’s deputy minister P Kamalanathan also expressed his disappointment with the students’ antics.