Yes, caning and smacking children should be illegal
By Zan Azlee

Finally, some sense is being spoken when it comes to disciplining children and their rights in Malaysia with the government introducing a new act that will make it illegal to cane a child.

Being a parent, I have never been agreeable with any form of physical punishment such as smacking or caning to educate and keep my child in line.

And as a child many many years ago, my parents had never resorted to any punishment of that sort either. It was always talking and reasoning (with the occasional screaming!).

Sure caning and smacking may have been the norm decades ago, but with more research and education in the field of child psychology, we need to improve things.

It goes without saying that it is common knowledge that corporal punishment for children result in negative psychological effects (or maybe it isn’t common knowledge?).

It promotes violence as a means to solve problems, increases bullying, the fear of pain rather than learning right from wrong, and much much more.

So when other parties start getting angry saying that the new act is wrong and needs to be looked at again to consider the view of parents, I got worked up.

Many are saying that hitting a child is a correct way of educating and disciplining them, even in this day and age. And of course, a majority of them are using religion (ie: Islam) as an excuse.

But of course, that is all an excuse. Because Islam does not outrightly say that you must hit your child. In fact, Prophet Muhammad had never in his entire life hit a child.

So what does it say about society in Malaysia if they so vocally want to defend their right to be able to use corporal punishment to discipline their children? [Click to read the full article at English.AstroAwani.Com]