This childhood punishment actually energises the brain

This scene from the 2006 local documentary Kopi O Khau Sikit Kurang Manis shows young detainees being forced to do ear squats by the police. Little do they know they are also stimulating their thinking skills with this exercise. — Handout

Any naughty kid who attended a local primary school would be familiar with ketuk ketampi, also known as ear squats, or as the Indians call it, thoppukaranam.

It’s one of the punishments meted out to children who misbehave, score poorly in exams, or simply do not conform to rules set by parents and teachers.