KOTA BHARU: Kelantan police have opened 25 investigation papers involving bullying offences that occurred in schools in the state for the first nine months of this year.
Its police chief, Datuk Mohd Yusoff Mamat, said that of this number, six cases were reported in Kota Bharu, Pasir Mas (five), Machang and Bachok (four each), Tumpat (three), Kuala Krai (two) and Tanah Merah (one).
He said bullying is a criminal offence that can be investigated under Sections 507B to 507G of the Penal Code (Act 574), which came into force on July 11.
"This proves that bullying is not a mistake that can be taken lightly. Don't let the status of being a student be tarnished with sin as a wrongdoer, just because of actions that were supposedly just a joke.
"The culture of bullying must be stopped. It's not just a disciplinary mistake, but a social disease that kills the values of empathy and love for fellow human beings.
"Today, bullying doesn't just happen in schools but also on social media platforms like WhatsApp, Telegram, TikTok and so on," he said at ‘Program Citra Remaja Unggul’ at Dewan Petra, Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Ismail Petra here on Wednesday (Oct 22).
Mohd Yusoff said that among the most serious challenges we are facing today is no longer just an economic issue, but a matter of morals and national dignity.
According to him, social ills like rape and incest are now emerging as dangerous social enemies, capable of undermining family harmony and destroying the future of young generations.
Meanwhile, police have confirmed that drug dealers in Kelantan are displaying a luxurious lifestyle on social media as a tactic to lure teenagers into becoming small-scale distributors of the illegal substance.
Mohd Yusoff said they had received information regarding the actions of certain individuals who were doing so, such as owning luxury homes and cars.
He added that young people in the state become drug dealers because they are influenced by the luxury shown. - Bernama
