A Malaysian Sikh high school student has been told by his school authorities that he must shave his beard and moustache or move on to another school, a media report said in Kuala Lumpur Saturday.
"I find the ruling absurd as according to our religion a Sikh is not supposed to remove hair from any part of his body," Jasmel Singh, father of the 17-year-old student Ranveer Singh said, the Star newspaper reported.
The father claimed that the school principal had told him that if Ranveer refused to follow her instructions, the student should get himself transferred to another school.
A state education department official, however said, presently Ranveer would not be forced to shave his hair and suggested he should instead write to the director of schools under the education ministry.
"It is ridiculous to get permission for a religious requirement," Ranveer's father was quoted as saying.