Bold steps must be taken to end bullying in our educational institutions.
There have been many horrifying stories of bullying taking place in schools and universities across the country with the latest media reports highlighting an extreme case that allegedly took place in a boarding school.
It was reported that students were forced to execute a rigorous plank-with-arm support move, commonly dubbed the “commando rest”, and that there were gangs operating within the school, with groups like 6 Jahanam, 6 Azazil and 7 Malaikat Maut propagating bullying, theft, smoking and violence among students.
We cannot allow our students to continue being bullied in educational institutions, which are supposed to be safe spaces for our children.
Failure to take immediate action will cause the situation to spiral out of control.
Have we forgotten the 2017 tragedy that resulted in 21-year-old Zulfarhan Osman Zulkarnain losing his life due to serious injuries caused by bullying?
We must ensure a conducive learning environment where parents do not fear sending their children to study and mature into upright citizens who can contribute to the country. This means eradicating all forms of bullying.
So what is bullying? Bullying is a single or repetitive behaviour intended to hurt someone emotionally or physically, and it is often targeted at individuals for reasons such as differences in appearance, religion, race, gender, sexual orientation and physical or mental ability.
Excluding someone on purpose, encouraging others not to befriend an individual, spreading gossip or rumours, and humiliating someone in front of others are examples of social and emotional bullying.
Physical bullying includes pushing, punching, kicking, biting, scratching and spitting, while verbal bullying includes teasing, making derogatory remarks or threats, taunting, irritating, and using insults to humiliate others.
Sexual bullying includes name-calling, sharing intimate images, texts and videos, making inappropriate sexual remarks, stalking, harassing, molesting, assaulting or even raping the victim.
With the rise of new communication technologies and a myriad of social media platforms, cyberbullying has become a growing threat.
Regardless of the type of bullying, the government must act swiftly to put an end to this harmful behaviour, which not only endangers victims’ safety but also disrupts their learning process.
Measures that can be taken to address bullying:
> Amending the Education Act 1996 (Act 550) or creating a new law to specifically address bullying.
> Introducing a robust anti-bullying policy that details disciplinary and case management procedures for every incident reported in educational institutions, from primary to tertiary levels nationwide.
> Stationing an anti-bullying education expert in every school.
> Engaging the community to take a strong stand against bullying.
> Conducting campaigns to raise awareness about the seriousness of the problem.
ASSOC PROF DR MUZAFFAR SYAH MALLOW
Faculty of Syariah & Law,
Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia
