PUTRAJAYA: Students today view bullying as “just a game” and no longer feel guilty about their actions, says Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.
Dr Wan Azizah, who is also KASIH Malaysia chairman, said that unlike in the past when ragging was more common, bullying today has taken on a more serious and troubling form.
“They don’t even feel guilty as these kids feel like they’re in a game. They think they’re in another world,” she said during an education event in Putrajaya on Thursday (Oct 16).
She added that while it may not be possible to completely eliminate such issues, efforts can still be made to reduce the damage.
“We can’t wipe everything out completely, but we can reduce the damage,” she said.
In her speech, she also addressed concerns expressed by Her Majesty Raja Zarith Sofiah, Queen of Malaysia, over the effects of social media.
She also said that the growing dependency on social media has affected the way people think, behave, and connect with one another.
“After a while, you forget yourself.
“That’s why we need to analyse how we think, how we look at others, and how we strengthen our faith. These are the things we need to reflect on,” she said.
In a post on His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia's official Facebook page on Tuesday (Oct 14), the Queen had instructed Universiti Teknologi Malaysia to conduct a study on the influence of social media on students.
On Wednesday, the 14-year-old male student detained for allegedly stabbing a 16-year-old female student at a secondary school in Bandar Utama was remanded until next Tuesday.
Selangor police chief Comm Datuk Shazeli Kahar said a note was seized during the arrest and initial search.
The note, which has been circulating on social media, is said to contain various other messages too, some of which allude to love, revenge and anger at the school.
The note also revealed an obsession with online games, some of them violent.
