KUALA LUMPUR: This year marks a major turning point in addressing school safety issues following a spate of bullying and crime committed within educational institutions.
The incidents led to comprehensive reforms, including the drafting of the Anti-Bullying Bill 2025, which was passed by Parliament on Dec 3. A 16-year age limit for social media use, to protect children and adolescents from inappropriate content, is also expected to be implemented next year.
The death of Zara Qairina Mahathir, a Form One student at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama (SMKA) Tun Datu Mustapha, Sabah, became the most shocking tragedy, sparking a wave of public reaction and concern across the country.
Zara Qairina died at Queen Elizabeth I Hospital on July 17 after being found unconscious in a drain near the school dormitory on the morning of July 16.
On Aug 20, five teenage girls were charged at the Kota Kinabalu Children's Court in Sabah with using abusive language against Zara Qairina under Section 507C(1) of the Penal Code.
The Attorney General's Chambers (AGC) also decided to conduct an inquest to determine the cause and reason for the student's death, with proceedings at the Coroner's Court still ongoing.
The stabbing by a 14-year-old male student at a Bandar Utama school here that led to a 16-year-old girl’s death has also led to police looking into social media and emotional triggers as factors that led to the incident that shocked a nation.
Online gaming influence has been suspected to have caused a nine-year-old to slash and seriously injure his six-year-old brother in Batu Pahat, Johor, on Oct 27.
Meanwhile, a 10-year-old student was also found unconscious in his school toilet in Senawang, Negeri Sembilan, before being pronounced dead on Oct 1. An autopsy revealed the cause of death was pressure applied to his neck.
Besides serious criminal cases, several bullying incidents were also reported at Maktab Rendah Sains Mara (MRSM) in Penang, Melaka and Terengganu, with the perpetrators facing strict disciplinary action, including expulsion from school, after investigation by the disciplinary board.
The issue of bullying has received serious attention from the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar, King of Malaysia, who emphasised that if this negative culture is not curbed at the school level, it risks producing a generation that lacks respect and love for fellow human beings.
Following this, the government, through the Communications Ministry, has implemented a comprehensive National Anti-Bullying Awareness Campaign across television, radio, social media, and digital platforms to combat bullying.
At the Education Ministry, all state education directors and District Education Office (PPD) officers were instructed to conduct surprise visits to schools, in addition to approaching and understanding the lives of students in dormitories.
Additionally, the Education Ministry is also improving safety features in schools, such as adding closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras and increasing the number of hostel wardens.
A total of 10,096 new teachers, including over 500 guidance and counselling teachers, have also been placed in schools nationwide starting last month (November) to enhance students' psychosocial well-being.
Statistics from the Education Ministry's Student Self-Personality System show that since 2019, an average of over 14,000 bullying cases have been reported annually in primary and secondary schools.
Police recorded 160 bullying cases, including physical and online bullying, between August and October this year, with 78% of the victims being children aged 6 to 17.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said the statistics confirm that schools are the main location for bullying incidents and children are the most exposed and vulnerable group. - Bernama
