PETALING JAYA: Independent bodies should step in if an educational institution is incapable of resolving bullying, says the Malaysian Youth Council.
Its president Mohd Izzat Afifi Abdul Hamid (pic) said the council advocates external interventions in such cases to ensure student protection and the upholding of their rights.
“Engaging organisations like the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) could provide impartial scrutiny, deliver concrete recommendations, as well as ensure transparent follow-up to safeguard student welfare,” he said when contacted.
Mohd Izzat also said that there must be stricter governmental supervision and legislative reform, including the stringent enforcement of anti-bullying efforts by the Higher Education Ministry.
“This is especially important in institutions with strong hierarchical cultures, as it aims to eradicate the underlying causes of such behaviour.
“Introducing robust legal frameworks that hold both perpetrators and complicit parties liable will serve as a powerful deterrent, signalling a zero-tolerance stance against bullying,” Mohd Izzat said.
His remarks follow another incident of bullying that resulted in injury at Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia (UPNM), which Kuala Lumpur police chief Comm Datuk Rusdi Mohd Isa confirmed last Sunday.
Mohd Izzat said that the recurring incident signalled “deep-seated cultural and institutional” flaws that must be urgently reformed.
“The rigid hierarchy pervasive in military academies often breeds a toxic environment where hazing and coercive control are normalised, perpetuating a vicious cycle of dominance and abuse,” he said, adding that a lack of reporting mechanisms further worsens the situation.
Malaysian Women’s Aspiration Association (Aswa) president Wan Azliana Wan Adnan said it is time to enact an Anti-Bullying Act, which would also make institutions accountable for failing to take action against bullies.
“Bullying can have long-lasting effects, and it’s essential for governments to take it seriously by implementing strict policies in educational institutions.
“Bullying is no longer a discipline matter; bullying is a crime.
“Bullying that escalates to harassment or physical harm transcends from a disciplinary issue into criminal territory,” said Wan Azliana, who is also spearheading a campaign advocating for the implementation of such an Act.
Wan Azliana, who is a lawyer, said that charging bullying as a crime would be effective in addressing the problem because it would serve as a deterrent.
“An anti-bullying act would provide a clearer and more specific law to address the issue,” she added.
She also said that whistleblower protection provided by schools or universities would also help to ensure confidentiality and encourage students to report bullying.
