KUALA LUMPUR: A recent social media post showing a photo of laundry scattered on the grounds of a boarding school in Pahang led to some strong reactions online.
The post was anonymously shared on an X page (formerly known as Twitter) with the title : "Don't pick them (laundry) up late."
The posting said that the clothes were thrown on the ground after they were not removed from the clothes linen after a long period of time.
"This happened at one of the boarding schools in Pahang. Students who were late in removing their clothes from the clothes line are punished like this.
"The clothes were placed in garbage bags and scattered about. Students who don't want their clothes to be thrown away must take back their clothes and so it ends up being scattered about," said the post.
It explained that the situation may humiliate students considering those in boarding schools often write their names on their clothes.
People would know which students had failed to remove their clothes from the clothes line.
The posting claimed that the school's Parent-Teacher Associations (PTA) and administration had rejected a proposal for school bullies or thieves to be line up in front of the school assembly because it would humiliate the wrongdoers.
The posting questioned whether the act of scattering laundry on the ground for students who failed to remove their clothes after a long time was the right thing to do.
Netizens, however, scolded the students for leaving their clothes out to dry for too long. They said that such forms of punishment helped to instil discipline.
"The clotheslines are for everyone's use, and not just for you. When the clothes are dry, be considerate and remove them. You are living in a boarding school but lacking discipline," wrote Kenz.
Another netizen said in the old days, students would be fined for such disciplinary issues.
"This is a normal thing in boarding schools. Do issues like this need to involve parents and everyone?
"If you don't want to get into trouble like this, pick up the clothes. Done. In the old days, there were fines for things like this," said the social media user.
A netizen who only wanted to be known as Hana said the boarding school students should learn to be disciplined.
"That's why your parents sent you to the boarding school, to learn discipline.
"You can't even pick up your dry clothes and cause inconvenience to others, and then you complain. You don't have to stay in the dorm. It's frustrating dealing with such needy kids," said Hana.