Ketuk ketampi as punishment for MCO Violators
MCO violators are punished to do ketuk ketampi and push-ups
Image adapted from: China Press and Nanyang Daily
Pre-2000s Malaysian kids have experienced it all when it comes to school punishments – rotan, jalan itik, and even getting your sideburns pulled, which was specially reserved for the boys.
Those who left school have already long forgotten about the rotan and other “creative” punishments that our teachers used to come up with, but seeing these recent videos of Movement Control Order (MCO) violators getting punished by having to do several reps of ketuk ketampi certainly brings back old memories.
Policemen resort to old school methods
We’ve already seen the news that the police are cracking down on MCO violators who refuse to stay home during this critical period and hundreds of Malaysians have already been arrested.
But of course, an arrest is only made when you refuse to comply with the police officers. You’ll usually be questioned and asked to leave before anything else, though some officers may not let you off the hook easily as learned by these 2 groups of men.
Image adapted from: Nanyang Daily
In a Facebook video shared by Nanyang Daily, a group of men were seen doing push-ups while under the watch of several policemen. Once they finished their reps, the group was then asked to do ketuk ketampi – a classic punishment method favoured by many school teachers.
The right way to carry out ketuk ketampi is to cross your arms and pinch your earlobes while doing squats
Image adapted from: Nanyang Daily
The group was apparently spotted in Kepong where they gathered at a public field and were loudly singing to tunes. The police arrived after being alerted about the group’s antics.
Image adapted from: China Press
In another video by China Press, a police officer was seen punishing another group using the same method – ketuk ketampi. The men were asked to form a line before carrying out their punishment under the watchful gaze of the officer in charge. They too were roaming the streets before patrolling officers spotted them.
Errant Malaysians punished for violating MCO
Seeing grown adults being punished to do several rounds of ketuk ketampi is definitely a first, as we’re more commonly used to seeing it as a form of punishment for naughty kids. It certainly seems to act as a better deterrent rather than just a stern warning, so kudos to our police officers for coming up with improvised solutions on the spot.
Between getting arrested and having to do ketuk ketampi, we’d go with #StayAtHome to avoid both.
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