Malaysia is to ban public caning in schools under rules to take effect later this year, and teachers who flout the new rules could face disciplinary action, a minister said today.

Deputy Education Minister Noh Omar said new education regulations would ban public caning and prescribe the punishments to be meted out to pupils.

"There is no rule that allows public caning. Under the new rules, we have determined the form of punishment in accordance with the indiscipline committed by the students," he was quoted as saying by Bernama.

He gave no details on the new punishments.

Standardise punishment

Noh said some schools were still using public caning to discipline students, but teachers who continued the practice could face action if the ministry received complaints about them.

He did not specify what kind of punishment teachers would face for breaking the new rules.

"We hope that these regulations will help to standardise the punishment for indiscipline and misconduct by students in the whole country," he said.

While no regulations currently exist on public caning, Malaysia's education ministry has issued guidelines for caning behind closed doors - a punishment teachers say is rarely used.