The Education Ministry has yet to make a decision on the fate of the students caught on video assaulting a fellow-student in Miri, Sarawak.

When approached for an update on action taken, Deputy Education Minister Noh Omar said the ministry has yet to be given full information on the situation.

"I have no orders as yet. We're still waiting for the report (from the school involved)," he told malaysiakini at the Parliament lobby today.

The St Joseph Secondary School schoolgirls - aged 14 and 15 - were filmed on a beach front kicking, slapping, punching, taunting and pulling the hair of another schoolgirl.

The video was been circulated on the Internet last week.

The students have been suspended, pending further punitive measures by the Education Ministry.

Negative effects

In the Dewan Rakyat, Mohamed Aziz (BN-Sri Gading) asked Deputy Tourism Minister Donald Lim if there were any negative effects on the tourism industry as a result of a Reader's Digest survey which cited Kuala Lumpur as the world's third-rudest city.

"My ministry disagrees with survey. We will speak to Kuala Lumpur City Hall and the Ministry of Arts, Culture and Heritage to get a better picture, in order to clarify this matter with Reader's Digest ," he said.