/file/publisher-c1a3f893382d2b2f8a9aa22a654d9c97/2025/10/9e8d644630d55407e01b3db0f18426f1.jpg)
Rise in reported bullying cases reflects greater willingness to speak up - Fadhlina
PARLIAMENT | Increased awareness and greater willingness among victims, witnesses, and school administrators to report bullying are among the factors driving a rise in recorded cases nationwide this year, Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said.
During her winding-up speech on the Supply Bill (Budget) 2027 in the Dewan Rakyat this afternoon, she said the education ministry had recorded 5,681 bullying cases between January and August this year.
She said...
PARLIAMENT | Increased awareness and greater willingness among victims, witnesses, and school administrators to report bullying are among the factors driving a rise in recorded cases nationwide this year, Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said.
During her winding-up speech on the Supply Bill (Budget) 2027 in the Dewan Rakyat this afternoon, she said the education ministry had recorded 5,681 bullying cases between January and August this year.
She said the figure further reflected a shift away from concealing incidents to protect schools’ reputations.
“This shift in the reporting landscape has also occurred abruptly since the gazetting and enforcement of the Anti-Bullying Act 2026.
“Furthermore, investigations, comprehensive reports, and disciplinary actions are carried out in accordance with existing regulations,” she added.
Spotlight on bullying
Public discourse on school bullying intensified following the death of 13-year-old schoolgirl Zara Qairina Mahathir in July last year. Five teenagers accused of bullying her subsequently claimed trial at the Kota Kinabalu Children’s Court the following month.
/file/publisher-c1a3f893382d2b2f8a9aa22a654d9c97/2025/07/0f20f909b3cd2b9dbcaac1767cfbc01e.jpg "MPs demand answers over schoolgirl Zara’s death amid bullying, VVIP link claims 300725 death of Form One student Zara Qairina Mahathir")
Last month, a 14-year-old schoolboy died after being found unconscious at a hostel in Kuala Pilah, Negeri Sembilan. Police detained a 16-year-old male student shortly afterwards.
Negeri Sembilan police chief Alzafny Ahmad later told the New Straits Times that five students had come forward alleging they had also been bullied by the suspect.
Commenting further, Fadhlina said her ministry will increase its CCTV allocation to RM15 million in 2027, from RM5 million this year and RM3 million in 2025.
The cameras will be installed in high-risk locations, including blind spots, corridors, storerooms, and hostel blocks, based on technical advice from the Office of the Chief Government Security Officer of Malaysia, she added.
/file/1163/3080aa3e82c6c13c3c0cfc05033bec42.jpeg "Generic 061017 surveillance camera cameras CCTV prison jail")
However, she cautioned that CCTVs alone would not be sufficient to tackle bullying.
“CCTVs do not prevent incidents as they only serve to record them.
“Nevertheless, they remain highly significant as they are among the most frequent requests from communities and parents,” she said.
Other measures include increasing the number of assistant hostel wardens conducting night patrols from 300 this year to 500 in 2027.
/file/attachments/orphans/sekolahselamat1_688002.png)
/file/publisher-c1a3f893382d2b2f8a9aa22a654d9c97/2025/10/1839da5513b9fc39f7f4395441da4a8b.jpg)
/file/1005/08e52b00409fccf5df77eb16838a4092.jpg)
/file/publisher-c1a3f893382d2b2f8a9aa22a654d9c97/2021/09/0f259c6be74885196574ef58d49e8b4a.jpg)
/file/publisher-c1a3f893382d2b2f8a9aa22a654d9c97/2025/04/f526a2be752daca0eea08d4bca8a2bb8.jpg)
For the record you are the worst education minister the country has ever had. I suggest please step down ?.
Bullying in schools: Research the causes and professionalise prevention Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek's observation that rising reports of bullying may reflect a greater willingness to speak up is encouraging. However, increased reporting must be accompanied by serious efforts to understand and prevent bullying. Bullying has numerous possible causes, including family circumstances, social inequalities, authoritarian attitudes, peer pressure, institutional cultures and the changing influence of social media. Some of these may take distinctive forms in emerging economies such as Malaysia. Our universities should be encouraged to investigate these issues systematically. Special research grants should be allocated to universities with established programmes in sociology, psychology, anthropology, education and other social sciences. Research should examine not only the perpetrators and victims but also the institutional environments that permit bullying to flourish. There is also an urgent practical requirement: the introduction of nationally recognised TVET programmes in pedagogical and educational support services for school leavers aged 16–18. Beginning at SKM Level 1 and progressing through Levels 2 and 3 to DKM Level 4 and DLKM Level 5, these programmes could prepare a new generation of trained pedagogical assistants to work alongside qualified teachers. Drawing on established Danish pedagogical practices, their training should include child development, behavioural observation, conflict resolution, emotional well-being, inclusion and early identification of bullying. Teachers cannot reasonably be expected to undertake all these responsibilities while simultaneously managing classrooms and delivering the curriculum. The Ministry of Education, universities and the Department of Skills Development should therefore consider a coordinated programme combining academic research with the professional training of pedagogical assistants. Bullying is not merely a disciplinary problem. It is also a question of child development, institutional culture and the quality of our educational environment. Prevention must become a professional responsibility, supported by research, training and adequate staffing.
More than 5,000 bullying cases reported in just eight months is terrible and deeply worrying. It is good that more people are speaking up, but the number shows how much needs to be done to keep our children safe. Parents need to get involved and take responsibility for their children’s behaviour. Teachers must teach children that bullying is wrong and act firmly when it happens. Children need to learn kindness, respect and the consequences of hurting others. Schools should be safe places for every child.
Report this comment
Are you sure you want to delete this comment?
This action cannot be undone.