PETALING JAYA: While the proposed tribunal for bullying cases can provide expertise needed to handle such cases involving children, preventive measures must be prioritised to reduce incidences of bullying, say legal experts.
Bar Council member New Sin Yew said cases involving minors should be handled by experts rather than conventional law enforcement.
He said a special tribunal made up of child experts, educators, psychologists and legal professionals would be better equipped to deal with such matters as the focus should be on the child’s best interests rather than punitive measures.
“Conventional police powers and procedures are not suited for handling such cases,” he said.
However, New said preventive measures were equally crucial for children’s overall well-being.
Association of Women Lawyers committee member Meera Samanther said while a tribunal could be useful in handling cases beyond bullying, any legal framework should go hand in hand with preventive strategies.
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“We need a system that instils positive values and prevents bullying from happening in the first place,” she said, urging the government to create more supportive school environments.
Human Rights Commission of Malaysia commissioner Ragunath Kesavan questioned the proposed tribunal, questioning the necessity, cost and transparency.
He said Malaysia already had a justice system and warned against creating a parallel system without addressing fundamental issues.
Ragunath highlighted concerns about cost and logistics, noting the difficulty of ensuring access to such a tribunal for communities across the country, particularly in Sabah and Sarawak.
Instead of creating new structures, he called on the government to focus on prevention and awareness, inculcate human rights values in the education system and ensure complaints processes were available.
