Malaysian education authorities have ruled that it was wrong for a school to order a Sikh student to shave off his facial hair, kept for religious reasons.

"I am so happy that they decided that my son doesn’t need to shave his beard and mustache as long as he keeps them neat," the boy’s father, Jasmel Singh, said.

Singh said the principal of the government high school had told his son, Ranveer, 17, that it was against school regulations to keep facial hair or sideburns.

The Education Ministry, in overturning the school’s order, said religious practices should be allowed if they are not extreme, the Sunday Star newspaper reported.

For the Sikhs, this means they can wear a turban and keep facial hair, the paper quoted senior ministry official Khusaini Hasbullah as saying.

Sikh groups in Malaysia had criticized the school’s action, saying it went against the freedom of religion enshrined in Malaysia’s constitution.

The ministry could not be reached for comment Sunday.

Both Singh and his son wear a turban.Sikh organizations in Malaysia had criticized the school’s action, saying it went against the freedom of religion enshrined in Malaysia’s constitution.

"We urge the Education Ministry to issue a clear policy reminder to all schools in Malaysia to ensure that Sikh students are not prevented from following the precepts of their faith," seven Sikh groups said in a joint statement.

Sikhs constitute a small minority in mainly Muslim Malaysia. Worldwide, there are more than 20 million followers of Sikhism, 80 percent of whom live in Punjab, India.