PUTRAJAYA: The Anti-Bullying Tribunal Bill is expected to be tabled in Parliament this December, says Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said.
She said a Cabinet paper on the drafting of the Bill would be presented to the Cabinet as early as November to inform ministers of the input and findings gathered from nationwide anti-bullying town hall sessions.
"This December, the Bill will be ready because the Madani government has promised to introduce this law in the upcoming session of Parliament.
"By early November (it will be presented to the Cabinet) for them to make a policy decision, as the Cabinet would like to hear from the engagement sessions that have been conducted," she said.
She said this to reporters after the Anti-Bullying Town Hall Session: #GenerasiTanpaBuli with student representatives under the Education Ministry, held here on Monday (Oct 6), which was also attended by Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek.
Azalina said the government was currently in the process of determining the most suitable mechanism to be used in curbing bullying at various levels.
"For example, the Cabinet may decide on two sets of tribunals - one for those aged 18 and above, or open tribunals, or to have two separate tribunals.
"We are still exploring (the mechanism), but I think from the perspective of children today, they understand, though there are certainly many variables regarding why bullying occurs and how to resolve it.
"My task is to find out whether a tribunal will be more effective than a court because tribunals are, of course, faster," she said.
On the town hall session, she said the input gathered from students would help ensure the Anti-Bullying Bill is implemented effectively.
"For us as lawmakers, the users of the law will be children. So it's good to take into account and consider their point of view.
"I also believe this will help enhance understanding of the concept (of bullying)," she said, adding that another town hall session will be held with the Higher Education Ministry to obtain input from students aged 18 and above.
At the session, a total of 130 students from the Education Ministry representing the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan presented their input for the drafting of the Anti-Bullying Bill.
Earlier, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was reported as saying that Azalina had been given six months to present a proposal paper to the Cabinet on the drafting of the Anti-Bullying Tribunal Bill. – Bernama
