A Sikh teenager ordered by his school to shave off facial hair grown as a religious obligation was breathing a sigh of relief after being allowed to keep it, his family said.

Ranveer Singh, 17, was told by his principal in a school in Perak last week to shave off his budding moustache and sideburns.

She had told the boy and his father, Jasmel Singh, that it was against school regulations and suggested the boy transfer to another school if he refused to shave.

But the Education Department's deputy director-general, Khusaini Hasbullah, said Ranveer could keep his facial hair after the family and Sikh groups protested, according to a report.

"As long as he keeps it neat and presentable, I don't see a problem. The policy is that religious practices should be allowed if they are not extreme," Khusaini was quoted as saying in the Star daily yesterday.

Be more sensitive

Jasmel said his son was relieved, but called on authorities to better manage religious differences.

"I'm happy with the statements made by the director-general, but in the first place this thing shouldn't have been an issue at all," he said.

"People in the department should be more sensitive to people of different races and cultures," he told AFP .

According to Sikh religious practice, followers wear turbans and are not allowed to cut their hair, and Khusaini said this was accepted.

The incident has raised the ire of Malaysian Sikh groups, who condemned the principal's move and called on the government to clarify its policies, saying similar incidents had occurred.

"Action is being taken on an ad hoc basis over the issues," said Jagir Singh, the president of the Gurdwaras Council, which represents Sikh temples.

"We would like a clear policy statement by the ministry outlining the directive to all the schools," he said.