Sabah Islamic religious affairs department director Jumain Abdul Ghani said he had received a full report on the incident, and that while the madrasah was a private institution, it was also registered with the department.

“We advised the teacher’s suspension from the madrasah, which has done so pending the completion of the investigation,” Sinar Harian reported him as saying in Kota Kinabalu today.

Jumain said his department would cooperate fully with the police, and that the 13 students involved, aged 18 and above, had been given health check-ups and returned to their families.

He emphasised the need to discipline students without being excessively harsh.

“We know more students these days are misbehaving, but they should not be disciplined by hitting or kicking them,” he said.

Kota Kinabalu police chief Kasim Muda previously said the man’s arrest followed a report lodged over alleged child abuse and intentional harm in the incident which took place on Sunday night.

He said the case was being investigated under Section 324 of the Penal Code for voluntarily causing hurt with a dangerous weapon, and Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001 for the exposure of children to danger.