KOTA TINGGI: Malaysia has made history by becoming the first nation in the world to set up an Anti-Bullying Tribunal, a dedicated and effective mechanism to tackle bullying head-on.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said the tribunal's creation reflects the Madani Government's resolve to ensure that bullying never takes root as a cultural norm in society.
"No other country has such a tribunal. There are sexual harassment tribunals, but an Anti-Bullying Tribunal has never been established before.
"The Madani government is fully aware that we cannot allow a culture of bullying to spread unchecked.
"That is precisely why we are introducing this tribunal, as a more fitting approach to handle cases involving children and teenagers," she told Bernama after the Johor Anti-Bullying Literacy programme at the Westin Desaru Convention Centre here on Saturday (June 27).
Azalina, who is also the Pengerang Member of Parliament, said the quasi-judicial body is designed to overcome systemic bottlenecks in handling civil bullying cases through regular courts, where some cases can drag on for up to nine years.
She said the Anti-Bullying Act 2026 (Act 876) is rooted in a restorative approach, one that not only shields and heals victims but also looks at the circumstances surrounding the perpetrators, who may themselves be wrestling with difficult environments.
"Sometimes both sides come with their own baggage, family issues, personal struggles. We want to strike a fair balance, without shying away from firm action against bullying," she said.
On cyberbullying, Azalina said the tribunal will assess every case brought before it, including those involving online content, strictly on its facts and in line with the law.
The Anti-Bullying Act 2026 and the Anti-Bullying Tribunal officially took effect on June 16, and currently apply to individuals aged 18 and below, she added.
However, she said the government will keep the door open to expanding its scope in future, should the need arise. - Bernama
