PETALING JAYA: Malaysia has one of the highest rates of bullying in schools, according to a global study.
Data from the 2023 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) shows that Malaysia ranked fourth out of 45 countries in bullying prevalence among eighth-grade (Form Two) students.
The prevalence of bullying in Malaysia stood at 56% in 2023, down from 65% in 2019.
South Africa had the highest school bullying prevalence in 2023 at 70%, followed by Morocco (60%) and Brazil (57%).
More than 8,000 Malaysian students, as well as headmasters in 180 schools were surveyed for TIMSS 2023.
The global study provides data on the performance of fourth-grade and eighth-grade students on the two subjects.
It also surveys respondents on various education-related topics, including bullying.
“South Africa and Malaysia are among the few countries with a decline in prevalence (of bullying), yet they still have some of the highest rates,” said the Center for Global Development (CGD).
Bullying gained national attention following the death of Form One student Zara Qairina Mahathir in July, a day after she was admitted to hospital, having been found unconscious in a drain near her school dormitory in Papar, Sabah.
CGD, which conducted a recent study on the TIMSS results for 21 middle-income countries including Malaysia, found an overall increase in reports of physical and emotional bullying among students in 2023.
“When comparing bullying data with TIMSS’s 2019 cycle, we note that in 2023, on average, the percentage of fourth-graders reporting bullying increased from 45% to 56%, and among eighth-graders, from 60% to 64%.
“Across countries, the increase ranged from 4 to 23 percentage points for fourth graders and 4 to 18 percentage points for eighth graders.”
CGD’s calculation on TIMSS 2023 results show that in Malaysia, 75% of boys and 68% of girls in Form Two reported experiencing emotional bullying
This involved behaviour such as teasing, name-calling, spreading rumours, or social exclusion.
Physical bullying was less common but still significant, affecting 49% of boys and 39% of girls.
More than half of headmasters (52%) meanwhile believe bullying is not a problem in their schools, while 43% see it as only a minor issue.
Only 5% view it as a moderate or serious concern.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said last month that the government had introduced an amendment to the law to better address bullying.
It involves the Penal Code (Amendment) Act 2025 [Act A1750], which aims to address harassment, bullying, insults, and identity misuse, including acts committed online.
Offences include harassment, threats, bullying, insults, and the misuse of identity information, with severe penalties if such acts lead to suicide attempts or suicides due to provocation.
Convicted offenders can face imprisonment of up to 10 years, fines, or both.
The government is also considering an Anti-Bullying Act and Anti-Bullying Tribunal to address the issue of bullying in the country.
The International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA), the association that operates and implements TIMSS, said there was a strong correlation between frequent bullying and lower student achievement scores.
“Internationally, students who report almost never being bullied scored almost 60 points higher on average in TIMSS 2023 than students who were bullied weekly.
“The data suggests that bullying is a clearly negative factor for students when it comes to achievement,” said IEA’s media and communications liaison Colm Brennan.
Brennan said the implications of bullying extend beyond academic outcomes.
“The mental health and well-being of children are severely impacted, with bullying taking a toll on their happiness and social competencies.
“Not only does high bullying incidence negatively affect learning, but low academic achievement can also impair students’ social skills and behaviours,” said Brennan.
