KUALA LUMPUR: The proposed anti-bullying law must go beyond punishing perpetrators by tackling the culture in schools and colleges that allow bullying to persist, says Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman.
Syed Saddiq (Muda-Muar) criticised educational institutions for failing to act against bullying, citing the murder of former Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia (UPNM) cadet officer Zulfarhan Osman Zulkarnain.
He said schools and universities should have been held accountable, as their inaction made them “complicit” and “guilty by omission”.
“That is why I suggest that this law’s (enforcement) be expanded so that it is not only used on bullies, but on the support system,” he said while debating the Anti-Bully Bill, tabled for a second reading in the Dewan Rakyat today.
“What can be done if the schools do not follow their SOPs? What if the principals were being careless, or the wardens were protecting the bullies by not reporting the cases? What action can be taken upon them?”
Definition of ‘bully’ must reflect reality
Syerleena Abdul Rashid (PH-Bukit Bendera) questioned the bill’s definition of bullying, which requires the act to be “intentional.”
She said that in reality, many acts that harm, shame, or demean a person are not premeditated.
“Sometimes, they are done spontaneously with just a word, a single touch, or with an act, which usually impacts the victim for years.
“Do we want to tell a traumatised teen that what happened to them was unintentional, and therefore not protected (under this law)?” she said.
Syerleena also raised concerns that the bill only covers school students, excluding children under 18 in youth training centres, sports academies, leadership camps, and youth ministry programmes.
She said these trainees are especially vulnerable to bullying that stems from senior-junior hierarchies, performance pressure, and closed environments.
“If we really want to eradicate bullying, we can’t leave any blind spots (in this bill),” she said.
The bill, comprising 54 clauses, seeks to prevent and manage bullying in educational and other institutions, establish an anti-bullying tribunal, raise awareness, and provide related measures.
The tribunal will prioritise resolving complaints through mediation, provided both parties give informed consent and mediation is deemed appropriate.
