KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 8 — Too often dismissed as childhood quarrels or harmless initiation rituals, bullying is far more insidious. Criminologists warn it is a form of deviant behaviour that sits between delinquency and crime — and Malaysia has yet to properly define it.
According to Universiti Sains Malaysia criminologist Datuk P. Sundramoorthy, bullying carries three defining elements: a power imbalance, the intentional infliction of harm, and repetition over time.
“The harm can take many forms — physical aggression, verbal insults, social exclusion, or online harassment.
“What sets it apart from ordinary disputes is its persistence and its impact — victims often suffer trauma, withdraw socially, and see their educational performance decline,” Sundramoorthy told Malay Mail recently.
Yet in Malaysia, the line that defines bullying remains vague.
Blurred lines
Universiti Malaya criminologist and law lecturer Haezreena Begum Abdul Hamid said that while the Penal Code was amended to cover harmful acts resulting from bullying, it still does not define what bullying is.
“That creates two problems. Firstly, the courts and investigators are left to interpret.
“Secondly, what is bullying to you may not be bullying to me.
“Without a clear definition, a lot of bullying is being watered down into neutral terms like camaraderie, induction, discipline, and orientation (in boarding schools or schools). Then it will be open to so much interpretation, and it can be abused,” she said.
Her research shows bullying in Malaysia has been normalised to the point where speaking up is often branded as “unsporting” or “anti-social.”
“Victims are ostracised, while perpetrators hide behind traditions or unspoken rules, especially in boarding schools or even workplaces.
“Simple acts — like seniors forcing juniors to bathe early, eat later, or vacate seats with just a stare — may be brushed off as culture, but they are bullying.
“It has become institutionalised. That’s why I say our society needs to be re-educated,” Haezreena said.
Breaking the silence
She drew parallels to sexual harassment, once dismissed through victim-blaming until laws were introduced.
“Victim-blaming was when people started saying things like, ‘it was what she wore’ or ‘he wore tight pants’ to justify harassment.
“Similarly, we keep finding excuses to justify bullying,” she said.
“This mindset often silences victims.
“I remember in school, when I spoke up for myself and for my friends, after my teacher got reprimanded, she screamed at me for over an hour,” Haezreena recalled.
Fixing the bully
Haezreena also stressed that solutions must address bullies themselves.
She said professional shaming could be a more effective remedy than punishment alone, as criminal charges under the Penal Code do not necessarily lead to remorse.
“So we talk about counselling for the one being bullied, but we should also double up and provide counselling for the bully.
“Just look at the comments in relation to the recent incident. There is so much hatred for the five underaged kids. We don’t even know the extent of the bullying, but it’s really bad — I heard Suhakam (Human Rights Commission of Malaysia) had to write to the courts to ensure the five children are protected.
“That’s why I wrote about the long-term cost to the bullies. I wasn’t referring to the five persons, but because everyone is talking about how bullying is bad, I also wanted to highlight the long-term cost to the bully. Now it looks as though vigilantes are seeking justice.
“It is all online and because everyone is vilifying these five kids, we have swung from one extreme to the other,” she said.
Following the death of Zara Qairina Mahathir in Sabah last month, on August 20, five teenage girls were charged at the Kota Kinabalu Children’s Court with using abusive words against the Form One student.
Suggesting “professional shaming,” Haezreena said it was not only legal but also a way to push bullies into a reconciliation process.
“It is alternative sentencing where a person is called out to take accountability for their actions.
“Sometimes that is even worse than prison. Do you think those who were sent to prison for robbery and snatching would apologise to the victim?” she said.
Rewriting the rules
Both experts agree that laws alone are not enough — society itself must change.
“They call it rules even if it’s unwritten and unspoken, and they’ve made it a social practice.
“So that’s what I meant when I said bullying has become institutionalised. That’s why I think our society needs to be re-educated,” Haezreena said.
Their concerns come as the government begins drafting its own response.
Yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said has been given six months to prepare and present a draft proposal on the Anti-Bullying Tribunal Bill to the Cabinet.
According to national news agency Bernama, he said Azalina would first conduct engagement sessions with stakeholders nationwide, with the Cabinet also proposing that Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) be involved, including those in fully residential schools, MARA Junior Science Colleges, elite institutions such as the Royal Military College, and public and private universities.
“The drafting of this Bill is important to prevent bullying from continuing and affecting the minds of parents and students who are victims,” Zahid reportedly said, adding that a uniformed body may also be included in the process to avoid disputes that could tarnish the reputation of any institution.
Zara Qairina was pronounced dead at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Kota Kinabalu on July 17, a day after she was admitted.
The 13-year-old student at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama (SMKA) Tun Datu Mustapha in Papar was found unconscious on the ground floor of her school dormitory in the early hours of July 16.
