PUTRAJAYA: The highly anticipated Anti-Bullying Tribunal Bill can only be tabled in Parliament at the earliest by December this year, says Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said.
The Law and Institutional Reform Minister stated that this was due to Budget 2026, which was planned to be tabled in October, with debates to follow thereafter.
She also said that this deadline was intended to provide relevant ministries with sufficient time to conduct engagement sessions with stakeholders nationwide before the next Parliamentary session begins in October.
“We are hoping that the Bill can then be quickly passed by the Dewan Rakyat and then Dewan Negara before the Parliament session ends in December.
“The plan now is to then have the Bill gazetted and potentially come into effect by next year,” she said during a press conference on Thursday (Sep 11).
Among these engagement sessions was the Anti-Bullying Tribunal town halls, the first of which was held at the Prime Minister’s Legal Affairs Division Department on Thursday. It was chaired by Azalina, Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil and Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek.
Azalina said that the town hall would be held in all states.
“The objective of these town halls will be to gather as many opinions and responses from as many members of the public.
“We will then evaluate this input over the next few months to develop the Bill,” Azalina said.
She also said that the government was considering whether to allow the proposed Tribunal to persecute prepretrators accused of bullying who are under 18 years old or prepretrators of any age.
Azalina encouraged the public to submit their suggestions for the Bill through the department’s new portal https://petari.bheuu.gov.my.
On Sep 7, Azalina said the Anti-Bullying Tribunal Bill was expected to be presented in Parliament in October this year.
On the same day, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi revealed that Azalina had been given six months to prepare and present the Bill’s draft proposal to the Cabinet.
