A social media post about a teacher’s punishment of students has garnered widespread attention among Malaysians.

The incident, believed to have occurred during the first week of the 2026 school year, allegedly involved several female students at a school in Lahad Datu, Sabah.

According to the post, a teacher allegedly cut a student’s hijab after deeming it “too short”.

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“The hijab was cut because it was ‘too short’. The student went home crying. The hijab had just been bought and was already the biggest size."

"If the teacher had told the student that she could not wear it, the hijab could have been donated to others. Why did the teacher feel the need to cut it? Maybe to some, this is a small matter, but for the student, it is embarrassing and hurtful," wrote the post.

The post also called for the teacher involved to issue a public apology and urged the student’s parents to file a police report.

Teacher transferred following incident

In a recent update, it is understood that the secondary school teacher involved in the incident has been transferred to another school.

Sabah State Education Department director Raisin Saidin said the action was carried out through the Lahad Datu District Education Office.

He added that the teacher has issued an apology to the parents of the affected student.

“The teacher has also replaced the hijab that was cut. The teacher has since been transferred to another school, while the student remains at the school,” he said.

Additionally, Raisin urged teachers to be prudent in their actions and to consider parents’ ability to provide for their children’s schooling needs. He also advised students to always comply with the rules set by their schools.

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