THE much-anticipated Anti-Bullying Bill will be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat on Dec 1, the government said.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said (pic) said the draft law received Cabinet approval on Nov 21.
MPs would get a detailed briefing after the first reading, covering the Bill’s committee structure, the powers of a proposed Anti-Bullying Tribunal and its implementation mechanisms.
The Bill establishes a fully civil framework focused on prevention, victim protection and rehabilitation of perpetrators, with an emphasis on restorative and inclusive approaches aimed at strengthening children’s emotional well-being and social conduct.
The draft law, she said, formally defines bullying in Malaysia for the first time and covers physical, verbal and online acts.
A uniform definition would provide consistent reference points for schools, enforcement agencies, parents and the wider public, Azalina added.
“This approach ensures that parents also play an important role and that both the victim and perpetrator receive the long-term support they need,” she said in a written parliamentary reply yesterday.
Azalina said the Bill grants education institutions clear autonomy to use in-house committees as the first line of prevention.
